Canterbury Crown Court, where Viscount was told he would be jailed

by Paul Hooper

A Canterbury gas fitter, who kicked and strangled the father of his long-term partner, has been jailed for two years.

Bully James Viscount, 29, of Oxford Road, had admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mark Gower in April this year in a “revenge” attack.

Canterbury Crown Court had heard how Viscount’s girlfriend and her mother had planned to go shopping but had to wait two-and-a-half hours while he was in the pub.

After their trip out, Judge Adele Williams heard that the girlfriend then sent a text to her mother telling how Viscount had attacked her frightened dad, who had pleaded with his daughter not to report the incident.

But Mrs Gower called police and the victim was tracked down and gave a statement telling how Viscount turned up drunk screaming vile abuse.

Later after flagging down a police car, Mr Gower said he feared for his daughter’s safety and returned to her home – only to be attacked by the drunken yob who punched him up to four times.

Judge Adele Williams told Viscount: “You went round to your victim’s home in my judgement seeking revenge after telling your mother-in-law you were going to get him for grassing you up.

“When you got there, you punched your way into the house, kicked him in the face and attempted to strangle him.”

The court heard how Viscount pushed Mr Gower to the floor and, after kicking him in the eye, tried to strangle him but the victim managed to free himself after promising not to alert police.

The court heard that Mr Gower was later taken to hospital where doctors treated him for facial bruising, a broken tooth and a fractured cheekbone.

Viscount was arrested but initially tried to claim he had been acting in self-defence but changed his plea to guilty shortly before the trial was due to start.

He said he accepted that what he had done was “ a very stupid thing” which had only happened because he was very drunk.

But the judge told him that it had been “a sustained attack, in drink, and using a shod foot as a weapon”.