Mark Gawler has been banned from his local in Canterbury

by Jamie Bullen

A judge has barred a man from his local pub after he fractured a rival’s cheekbone in an unprovoked attack.

Mark Gawler, 43, of Brockenhurst Close, Canterbury, repeatedly punched Daniel Bennett in Rheims Way after a night drinking in the Gentil Knyght pub.

Now a judge has ordered the dad-of-three to pay £1,500 compensation – and banned him from drinking at the pub for a year.

He admitted one charge of assault causing actual bodily harm at Canterbury Crown Court.

The victim suffered injuries so horrific he was unable to look his young son in the eye after suffering a black eye and a fractured cheekbone, the court heard.

He was also forced to take three weeks off work because of his injuries.

Crispian Cartwright, prosecuting, said the attack was a result of "drink-fuelled jealousy" because Mr Bennett began walking home with a woman in August.

He added: "He was walking her home through the streets, he heard his name called out and as he turned round he got a fist in his face.

"He was then punched in the same place, but made it quite clear he did not wish to fight him because he was a friend of some of his mates."

Mr Cartwright added the woman later said she was left shocked by the attack, describing the sound as a "sickening crack".

The court heard that Gawler, who works as a project manager in Canary Wharf, was in the middle of divorce proceedings at the time of the attack.

Gawler apologised by text message two days after the assault, saying he regretted his actions.

Kerry Waitt, defending, said: "He acknowledges he has caused injuries to the victim and that compensation would be an appropriate order."

Judge Simon James banned Gawler from entering the Knight Avenue pub until his 12-month suspended sentence for a 24 week prison term had passed.

He said: "It is a wonderful thing there are so many nice pubs in the city, I don’t see why the victim should have to look over his shoulder in his local pub.

"For that reason I will impose an exclusion order preventing you from going 100 yards within the Gentil Knyght pub for the rest of your sentence."

Gawler was also ordered do 160 hours of unpaid community work.