Man had teeth displaced in town centre attack

A man was left in "enormous pain" after his teeth were displaced when a drunk man punched him in the face, a court heard.

The victim had been sitting in Harlow town centre, Essex, when he was set upon at random by James Underwood, 23, and a friend on 4 August 2023.

"I still experience pain in my teeth and my face is deformed," a statement read on behalf of the victim said.

Underwood, of Ladyfields, Loughton, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, at Chelmsford Crown Court. The second man is due to be sentenced at a later date.

The 39-year-old victim was sat in Market Square at about 21:00 BST when he was attacked, prosecutor Donna Longcroft said.

She explained the victim could not understand what was being said to him prior to being assaulted, as English was not his first language.

He was then punched to the left side of his face by Underwood's friend before being struck on the other side by the defendant, Ms Longcroft said.

When he received medical treatment, scans found he had suffered a fractured jaw and his teeth had been displaced by 7mm (0.3in).

"I had enormous pain, I was not able to open my mouth and eat," the victim said in a statement.

"I will need a jaw operation in the future to relieve the pain."

Recorder John Brooke-Smith said the attack "must've been the most terrifying ordeal" for the victim.

"The emotional damage is long-lasting and will be with your victim for many years," he added.

Jonathan Rosen, mitigating, said Underwood was "in drink at the time" and had lost his inhibitions.

He said the defendant, who had 10 previous convictions for 25 offences, was "motivated this time" to live a crime-free life.

Mr Brooke-Smith said he would suspend the prison term he imposed so the defendant could be rehabilitated.

He ordered Underwood to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of a rehabilitation activity.

Underwood would also be subjected to alcohol abstinence monitoring for 120 days, the recorder added.

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