A man attacked with a broken bottle in a Mid Wales town took his own life after the assault, a court heard.
Jasey Austin-Drennan attacked George Newton and Mitchell Frayne at student accommodation on Victoria Terrace in Aberystwyth on February 3 last year.
The court heard that Mr Newton had taken his own life after the trial.
“I am destroyed, devastated and heartbroken,” his mother said.
“He texted me saying Jasey was going to get away with what he had done.
“All I want to do is bring my son back and assure him that justice will be served.”
Austin-Brennan avoided a prison sentence after pleading guilty on the morning of trial to lesser alternative offences of unlawful wounding.
He denied two further charges of wounding with intent – claiming self-defence.
The prosecution continued to trial, however the jury was instructed to return not guilty verdicts on the wounding with intent charges after a police officer’s body-worn camera footage “undermined the prosecution’s case”.
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Summarising the evidence heard at trial, Recorder Greg Bull KC said that the defendant attended Mr Newton’s student accommodation in Aberystwyth on February 3 last year and was “drunk and behaving like a lout”.
Judge Bull said the atmosphere at the flat soon “turned sour”, and the defendant was asked to leave.
Austin-Drennan refused despite being asked multiple times, and Mr Frayne took the defendant by the arm.
“What happened thereafter was your fault,” Recorder Bull said.
“You over-reacted to the situation. You armed yourself with a bottle and smashed it over the head, probably, of Mr Frayne.”
In a statement read to the court, Mr Frayne said: “Not long after the attack, I was left with major anxiety.
“I did not want to have to go back to the room it happened in so I had to move to another room in the student accommodation.
“I am left with a reminder with the scar on my neck.”
He added that the defendant had been a friend of 12 years, and the attack had left him with “major trust issues”.
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The court heard that Austin-Drennan, now 21, of Alfred Street in Cardiff, had no previous convictions.
Pleading guilty, the defendant said: “I felt they were attacking me. I grabbed something to defend myself”. He said he did not realise the bottle had smashed.
“I didn’t intend to cause either really serious harm,” he said.
Joshua Scouller, in mitigation, said the defendant had “expressed very significant remorse” over the incident.
“He deeply, deeply regrets and has been deeply upset by the news that Mr Newton has taken his own life.
“There is no suggestion that this doesn’t cross the custody threshold, the question is whether your honour can suspend any sentence.”
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Mr Scouller said the defendant had a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, and had given up drinking as a result of the incident.
“He must bear the responsibility for what he did that night for the rest of his life,” he said.
Recorder Bull said: “You were not entitled to act in self-defence.
“In my judgement there was no excuse for you arming yourself in the way that you did or using the bottle in the way that you did.
“They had done nothing wrong.
“You should, even ought to, have pleaded guilty to these at a much earlier stage.”
Austin-Drennan was sentenced to 21 months, suspended for two years, and must complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
His victim was granted a five-year restraining order against him.
Helplines
If you would like any help with bereavement, loss or mental wellbeing, here are some helpline numbers:
You can call the Samaritans on 116 123
Papyrus Hopeline on 0800 068 4141
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) on 0800 58 58 58
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) 0300 111 5065 uksobs.org
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