Bassetlaw man glassed old school-mate and permanently scarred him

A Bassetlaw man who punched and glassed an old school-mate and left him with permanent scarring has been locked up, a court heard.
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Arron Kmiotek was in the Pavilion Social Club, in Bircotes, when his girlfriend began arguing with a man, just before 11pm, on November 23, 2018.

Prosecutor Dawn Pritchard told Nottingham Crown Court how his partner threw a drink over the man and smashed her glass on a pool table before he was thrown out of the pub.

When his partner got angry with another man, Kmiotek asked her: "What do you want me to do about it?" before walking over and punching him with his left hand and hitting him with a glass he held in his right hand.

Arron KmiotekArron Kmiotek
Arron Kmiotek

His victim sustained lacerations to his cheek, nose and right upper eyelid, and he was treated at the maxillofacial unit at Rotherham General Hospital, where he received more than 30 stitches in his face.

In a statement, he said he was lucky not to be blinded, adding: "I've got to live with these scars for the rest of my life."

He became very self-conscious as a result and was scared it would affect his relationship, Ms Pritchard said.

He has lived in Harworth all his life and claims he sees Kmiotek regularly and that he taunts him.

Read the latest stories from Nottingham Crown Court.Read the latest stories from Nottingham Crown Court.
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Ed Moss, mitigating, said Kmiotek, who has no previous convictions, was truly sorry for the injury he caused and the offence was "clearly out of character."

He conceded that some of the delay was caused by Kmiotek seeking a trial, but added the defendant had not re-offended since and argued any sentence should be suspended.

A positive pre-sentence report assessed him as posing a low-risk of re-offending, Mr Moss said, adding: “It was a one-off-situation.

"He was 20 at the time and very immature.”

Kmiotek, 23, now of Smith Square, Doncaster, pleaded guilty to unlawfully and maliciously wounding with intent to do GBH, before a trial that was set for May 3.

On Thursday, Recorder Jason MacAdam told him: “What you did was quite frankly awful. It was unprovoked and pre-meditated. You and he are fortunate he wasn’t blinded.”

He jailed him for two-and-a-half years. He will serve up to half of that time in custody.

Detective Constable Michael Booth, who led the investigation, said: “The was a cowardly attack and it is lucky the victim is not blind as a result of Kmiotek’s inexcusable actions. He will, however, have to carry the scars of this totally unprovoked assault for the rest of his life.

“I am pleased that justice has been done and hope this sentencing will bring some degree of relief to the victim.

“I also think this case should serve as a warning to other people about the serious consequences to being a perpetrator of violence.

“Kmiotek’s actions were entirely unacceptable and such behaviour will never be tolerated in Nottinghamshire.”