A MAN who smashed a glass into the face and neck of a York bouncer in a “cowardly attack” has been jailed for 15 months.

Nathan Daniel Bell, 21, of Burnholme Grove, York, was out drinking with his father Colin Bell, 44, also of Burnholme Grove and others in Bobo Lobo, Little Stonegate, when they were asked to leave, York Crown Court heard.

As a member of door staff escorted one of the group into the street, the court heard Nathan Bell smashed a glass into the side of his head outside the bar, leaving fragments of glass in cuts to his face and neck.

Nathan Bell then threw punches at the bouncer, who in self defence put Nathan Bell to the ground, at which point Colin Bell became involved, punching the doorman in the jaw, the court was told.

When police arrived, the court heard Nathan Bell gave them a false name, and continued to threaten the bouncer, before being arrested. He told police he had been walking in the street when he had been grabbed by the doorman, and had acted in self defence.

The court was shown CCTV footage of the incident, in October 2018, which Judge Andrew Stubbs called “a cowardly attack” that could have caused more serious injuries to the victim if the glass had not shattered on impact.

The doorman suffered cuts to his face and neck, had to have pieces of glass removed from the cuts, and had issues with his eye.

The court heard Nathan Bell - who pleaded guilty to wounding - placed his hand on the doorman’s left shoulder as his back was turned, then pushed a glass in his right hand into the bouncer’s face in what was described as “not a punch, but a deliberate pushing motion”.

Oliver Jarvis, mitigating for both men, said although Colin Bell “did not give an accurate account in interview” with police, he had admitted assault at an early opportunity, and had not appeared before the courts in 20 years.

Mr Jarvis said Nathan Bell was previously of good character, this was “an isolated incident”, and he had shown “a level of immaturity”, but acknowledged it had not just been one strike, but “a short melee” and “an appalling act of violence”.

He said: “It was an outburst of anger. Misplaced, of course, but very short lived and entirely out of character.”

Colin Bell - who gave a prepared statement to police claiming he acted in defence of his son - was given a 12-month community order and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Stubbs QC, jailing Nathan Bell for 15 months, told him: “The member of door staff was doing his job, keeping order in the public house and keeping people safe. You took exception to that.

“I have thought very carefully about the sentence I must impose on you, and have taken time to reflect on it.

"Anyone seeing that CCTV as I have, would see the cowardly attack you launched on the doorman as his back was turned, and would say the appropriate punishment could only be achieved by an immediate custodial sentence.”