Man who attacked Street hotel manager could be facing jail

Holiday park owner Ronald Shaw was drunk when he lost his temper with the victim who asked him to leave the Wessex Hotel.

What followed was a brutal assault during which he repeatedly punched and kicked the manager, attempted to choke him and then bit his ear, causing him to bite through his own lower lip and needing more than 30 stitches.

The defendant was described as sounding “deranged” and a guest at the hotel went to the victim’s rescue holding the front door shut while the police were called.

Shaw, 33, of Oakwood Holiday Village, Bull Balk, Newton-upon-Derwent, pleaded guilty to assaulting Luke Chapman causing him actual bodily harm and a common assault upon Christian Thompson on January 28 when he appeared before Somerset Magistrates.

Duty manager Mr Chapman went outside at 8pm to deal with a group of males, including the defendant, who were talking loudly and told them to keep the noise down.

A short while later he saw Shaw throwing a sign across the car park so told him to leave or the police would be called. He responded by saying to him: “Who the hell are you talking to?”

Prosecutor Andrew Meadows said Shaw squared up to Mr Chapman and swung a punch with a clenched fist hitting him in the face and then did it again.

Shaw, 33, appeared at Yeovil Magistrates' Court. (Image: Newsquest)

“The victim put himself into a turtle pose and put his hands over his head to make himself a smaller target while Shaw continued to rain punches down on him,” he said.

Mr Chapman told him to go away but fell over and then received a kick to his head and Shaw put his hands round his neck in a choke hold.

“The defendant then bit his ear from behind, leaving a laceration and caused the victim to bite through his own bottom lip,” added Mr Andrews.

A passer-by described Shaw as sounding “deranged and completely out of control” and a hotel guest came to Mr Chapman’s aid, holding the hotel door shut as Shaw attempted to get in. During the fracas, the defendant grabbed hold of him and scratched his neck.

Mr Chapman attended Yeovil District Hospital and needed eight stitches to the bite on his ear and 24 stitches to his lower lip. He also sustained grazes to his face and arm, cuts over his eyebrows and forehead and his lip was so painful he could barely eat or swallow.

The attack also had an emotional impact on Mr Chapman leaving him with high anxiety.

The court was told that Shaw was a family man and company director who had acted completely out of character and was extremely ashamed of his actions that night after travelling to Somerset for work.

He expressed remorse during his interview with the police and was said to be contrite.

The magistrates said the case was so serious that the defendant must be sent to Taunton Crown Court, sitting at North Somerset Magistrates Court, to be sentenced.

They adjourned the case until September 20 and ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the Probation Service.

Until then he was released on bail with conditions that he does not contact the complainant or witnesses directly or indirectly.