Thug who attacked a Newmarket man jailed for 21 months

A thug who punched a Newmarket man so hard he needed facial reconstructive surgery has been jailed.

Twenty-six-year-old Richard Cousins of Trumpington was sent to prison for 21 months by Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday.

He admitted causing grievous bodily harm to Damian McGill in the Black Bull pub at Sawston on March 18 last year.

The court heard that the single blow to Mr McGill's face has left him with permanent nerve damage and scarring after several operations.

He suffered a broken cheekbone and the lower part of his eye socket was also broken.

Prosecutor Jonathan Masters told the court that Mr McGill went to the Black Bull pub in search of Cousins after an earlier incident involving a woman.

He arrived at around 10pm with his friend, Paul Barnes, and asked Cousins' girlfriend where he was.

"She didn't have time to answer," said Mr Masters. "Mr Cousins burst into the pub with his fists raised, shouting "I'm bigger than you, I'm more riled up than you and I'm going to smash you up".

Cousins continued to shout at his victim, before landing a punch on the left side of Mr McGill's face.

Mr McGill had had reconstructive surgery on his face as his cheek had collapsed.

"He will have a permanent scar as a result and he continues to feel the effect, and feel what may well be permanent nerve damage," Mr Masters said.

When first interviewed by police, Cousins denied punching Mr McGill, and only entered a guilty plea 14 months after the offence.

The court heard Cousins had 14 previous convictions for 29 offences, dating back to 2006.

Several involved charges of assault and public disorder, and included assaults on a doorman, a taxi driver and a woman.