A Manchester party guest will spend Christmas behind bars after smashing a fellow partygoer over the head with a glass bottle and almost slashing the jugular vein of his wife over lift button.
Ashley Byrnes, 34, of West Drive, Droylsden, was jailed for 18 months after attending a Christmas party with his wife at the Vermillion restaurant and bar on Hulme Hall Lane, Lord North Street on December 16 2012.
The couple got into a lift with a husband and wife who were also at the restaurant on a staff Christmas party.
The lift doors would not close however and an argument started over whether or not a button had been pressed.
In a fit of rage Byrnes smashed a glass bottle over the husband’s head and shards from the glass cut the wife’s neck close to her jugular vein.
In a panic, Byrne fled from the restaurant leaving his wife to deal with the injured couple. He was later arrested and charged.
Detective Constable Alexander Day said: “With the festive season upon us and lots of Christmas parties happening, this case serves as a timely reminder of what can happen if you lose control after you’ve been drinking.
“When you’re inebriated and tempers fray, you can lash out. And as this incident highlights, one violent act can have dramatic and life-changing repercussions.”
The injured husband suffered a 1.5 inch cut to the front of his forehead which needed several stitches to close and his wife suffered a deep cut to her neck.
DC Day added: “What started as a completely trivial argument escalated into a violent act and because of one moment of madness, Byrnes will now be spending this Christmas behind bars.
“No doubt he regrets his actions, and this should therefore send a strong message to anyone who goes out over the festive period and has too much to drink of just what can happen. When you’re drunk, your senses are diminished and logical and rational thinking go out of the window.
“If you do go out this Christmas, please drink responsibly and don’t let yourself get into a situation like Byrnes and end up spending future Christmas in a prison cell away from your family.”
Image courtesy of Øystein Alsaker via Flickr, with thanks.
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