by Keith Hunt

medwaymessenger@thekmgroup.co.uk

A thug who wounded a man in the neck with a pool cue because he was angry about texts sent to his girlfriend has avoided a jail sentence.

Matthew Glascock was given a suspended sentence after a judge said he regarded the texts sent as being provocative.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the 21-year-old was at home on September 25 last year when his girlfriend Kathrine Slack received texts from Umiara Chiemeka.

Judge Charles Macdonald QC said Glascock thought the texts were inappropriate and Miss Slack went to meet Mr Chiemeka to get them stopped.

Glasock, who had been drinking, followed – taking part of a pool cue with him.

When they met up outside a shop in Upper Fant Road, Maidstone, there was a confrontation and the victim took off his belt.

The judge said it meant both men had "make shift weapons". Glascock struck Mr Chiemeka in the neck, causing a wound that needed seven stitches.

Glascock, of Roseholme, Maidstone, admitted unlawful wounding on the basis he was defending himself but went too far in doing so.

Philip Sinclair, defending, said Glascock had a long-standing alcohol problem which started when his older brother died from drug abuse.

He stopped taking drugs but replaced them with alcohol. He had since been on an anger management course.

Judge Macdonald said Glascock had genuine remorse and had responded well to a community order for driving matters. He was addressing his alcohol problem.

"I regard the text messages as provoking," he said. "Because this would be your first experience of a custodial sentence and in all the circumstances, I am going to suspend the sentence."

Glascock was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months, with 150 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay the victim £200 compensation at the rate of £10 a fortnight.