A man who aimed a ‘sucker-punch’ at his victim in a crowded casino waited for more than a year before learning his fate.

Damien Shaw, 37, launched a single, forceful blow at the other man after words were exchanged in the early hours of November 7 2021 at the Grosvenor Casino in Bolton.

The attack was caught on CCTV and Bolton Crown Court heard about the lasting effect that the blow had had on Shaw’s victim, leaving him anxious around crowds and when dealing with loud noises.

A victim impact statement read by Wayne Jackson, prosecuting, said: “This has been upsetting to me because I used to be an outgoing person and I no longer feel myself.”

The Bolton News: The case was heard at Bolton Crown CourtThe case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Jackson told the court how the victim had to be taken to hospital, where he stayed for around five days.

More than a year after the assault, the man continued to suffer from both psychological and physical after effects.

Shaw, of Sycamore Drive, Wigan, admitted to causing grievous bodily harm but Peter Mantle, defending, argued that his crime was ‘out of character.’

He said: “Because this was a quick incident in a busy environment, I would suggest that no one’s recollection is going to be perfect in a case such as this."

He told the court how though Shaw had six previous convictions for 12 offences to his name, none of them had been for acts of violence.

Instead, most had been for driving offences while Shaw was also able to draw upon several positive character references.

Mr Mantle also said the fact the case had taken so long to deal with had caused extra anxiety for all concerned.

He said: “I appreciate there was medical evidence involved but why it has taken so long is a mystery.”

Judge Nicholas Clarke accepted that this process had caused a huge amount of stress but reminded the court of the serious impact of Shaw’s actions.

He said: “I’m no personal injury lawyer but it’s clear to me that this case cost a huge amount of money but more than that has caused a huge amount of distress for a year or more.”

He added: “There are other things to keep in mind, which is that I think first not of the defendant but of the victim in cases such as these.”

Turning to the defendant, Judge Clarke also said that the exchange of words in the casino was no excuse for the assault that followed.

Judge Clarke said: “Whatever this was, it didn’t justify the sucker punch that you delivered.

“That was a single, extremely forceful blow that knocked him straight to the floor.”

But he also pointed out how stretched the prison service has been in recent years and referred to a recent move by the government to house prisoners in police rather than jail cells.

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Though this may have helped to relieve pressure, it also meant that prisoners would not have access to the same facilities to assist with rehabilitation.

Instead, Judge Clarke decided to give Shaw a sentence of 15 months, suspended for two years, and ordered him to complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He also hit Shaw with a curfew confining him to his home between 8pm and 5.30am for four months and gave him an alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement for 120 days.

Finally, Judge Clarke ordered Shaw to pay £5,000 in compensation and £1,200 in costs.