A staff member was left ‘covered in blood’ during the attack, a court heard
Jodie Sainsbury and Alexander Ledger appeared at Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
An aggressive woman angrily smashed a glass into a restaurant worker’s face – leaving him “covered in blood” – during a nasty late-night confrontation over two stolen bottles of red wine. The violence was sparked after she was seen with a man who had shamelessly stolen the bottles of wine from the restaurant just minutes earlier before running off, Hull Crown Court heard.
Jodie Sainsbury, 35, of Easedale Avenue, Hull, admitted wounding a member of staff from the restaurant on September 5, 2021. Alexander Ledger, 32, of Great Thornton Street, west Hull, admitted assaulting the restaurant manager, causing actual bodily harm. They both admitted affray.
Maya Hanson, prosecuting, said that, shortly before 11pm, Ledger walked into the bar area of a restaurant in Anlaby Road, west Hull, and grabbed two bottles of red wine. He ran out but he was spotted by a member of staff from the kitchen and he was challenged.
The restaurant manager was also alerted and both men followed Ledger out onto Anlaby Road. Ledger was seen near a pub with Sainsbury.
He was asked by the restaurant staff to give the wine back but he replied: “What are you going to do about it?”
Sainsbury had an initially full glass in her hand and she used it to hit the member of staff on the right side of his head, causing the glass to smash on impact.
The man suffered lacerations to his face and cuts to his neck. The restaurant staff retreated. The manager had grabbed one of the bottles of wine from Ledger.
“He raised it above his head,” said Miss Hanson. The manager walked backwards towards the restaurant so that he could see what was happening but Ledger repeatedly punched him, causing him to fall to the ground. There was a scuffle between the manager, Ledger and Sainsbury. The member of staff alerted the police. During the incident, an ornamental elephant from the restaurant was swung at Ledger.
The manager walked away. Ledger and Sainsbury rode away on bicycles. By chance, police in Midland Street saw them riding away.
Sainsbury approached them. The police were directed by their control centre to go the pub area. They were told about the incident.
“They then realised that the two people they had seen on bikes were the two suspects,” said Miss Hanson.
Sainsbury was arrested shortly afterwards through being seen on CCTV pictures.
She refused to name Ledger and claimed that she smashed the glass in self-defence. Ledger was not identified for some time. A watch found at the scene was partly matched to his DNA profile.
The man injured in the glassing attack was later taken to Hull Royal Infirmary, where the wounds were cleaned and closed. He was later not sleeping properly, continued to suffer headaches and seriously feared for his safety.
The manager suffered a black eye and scratches to his face and the top of his head. He was also taken to hospital, where he was given antibiotics and eye drops.
He had been left shocked and not understanding why the violence went the way it did. “He said that it would take him a long time to recover from his injuries,” added Miss Hanson.
Sainsbury had convictions for seven previous offences, including assault causing actual bodily harm in October 2021. Ledger had convictions for 32 previous offences, including nine for violence and others for possessing offensive weapons.
He had, as a youth, been locked up for four years in 2009 for attempted robbery. He had been jailed for 18 months in March 2015 for affray and possessing a firearm.
Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Sainsbury had shown genuine and true remorse and she had written a heartfelt letter. She realised that the glassing injuries caused to the man were serious and she was ashamed.
Sainsbury was working part-time. “She really has turned her life around,” said Miss Scott. “She does feel that she needs to be punished for this offending.”
Molly Minter, representing Ledger, said that he claimed that he used only two punches on the restaurant manager, none of them while the victim was on the ground. “There is no weapon whatsoever used by him,” said Miss Minter. Ledger was unemployed.
Recorder Abdul Iqbal KC said that CCTV pictures of the glassing attack by Sainsbury showed the man “covered in blood” afterwards. “Mercifully, the injury was not more serious than it turned out to be,” said Recorder Iqbal.
“The offence was committed against a person who was simply carrying out his work, providing a service to the public as a restaurateur.” Recorder Iqbal told Ledger: “You acted in a prolonged and persistent way and were continually aggressive.”
Sainsbury was given a one-year suspended prison sentence, 120 hours’ unpaid work and 10 days’ rehabilitation. Ledger was given a 15-month suspended prison sentence, a 26-session probation service programme and 10 days’ rehabilitation. He was also fined £100.
They were each ordered to pay £500 costs. Ledger had already been fined by Hull magistrates for stealing the two bottles of wine.
Did you know you can make Hull Live a preferred source of Hull news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here’s more information about what this means and how to do it – you can also do it straight away by clicking here.