A FORMER Deeside man was branded a nasty piece of work by a crown court judge who jailed him for two-and-a-half years for grievous bodily harm.
Moments later Curtis Andrew Jennings, 21, lived up to the judge’s description by pointing at the jury, swearing at them using four letter words, and telling them they were wrong to convict him.
Judge Niclas Parry held him in contempt and told the jury they did not deserve that.
“You have done your public duty.
“I want you to leave, ignoring that abuse, with your heads held high,” he told them.
Jennings was later returned to the dock where Peter Barnett, defending, said his client wished to apologise and purge his contempt.
The judge accepted Jennings’ apology and did not give him an additional sentence but told him to keep his head down and get on with his sentence.
In addition to the two-and-a-half year jail term, the judge made a restraining order that he is not to approach the victim again.
“You can quite properly be described as a nasty piece of work,” the judge told him.
He had an appalling record for violent, cowardly offences.
“It is in your nature to inflict injury on vulnerable people,” the judge told him.
He was true to that nature when he attacked Anthony O’Reilly, a vulnerable man with learning difficulties but nevertheless a man who knew right from wrong.
Jennings had punched his then girlfriend and Mr O’Reilly bravely tried to help her, but was repeatedly punched with such force he ended up with several fractures to his jaw.
He needed an operation when a plate was used to fix his jaw, and it had been obvious how stressful and difficult it had been for him to give evidence in court.
The judge told Jennings: “The public needs to be protected from your temper.”
The jury heard how Mr O’Reilly, 42, described as a gentle, kind man, had been befriended by Jennings.
The incident happened at Mr O’Reilly’s home in Mancot. Jennings and his then girlfriend had argued and Mr O’Reilly intervened.
Jennings then turned his attention to Mr O’Reilly and punched him in the face fracturing his jaw.
Jennings, formerly of Field View, Mancot, but now of Newell Road, Upton, Chester, had denied the offence and said he acted in self defence.