A former deputy head boy with an unblemished character has been jailed after he glassed a man in the face.

The attack, outside the Early Bird pub at Grove Green, near Maidstone, in December 2017, left the victim with a permanent disfigurement to his face.

Samuel Walters, 23, was convicted in April after a trial of unlawful wounding and appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday (July 26) for sentence.

Judge Julian Smith told him: “This was a series of steps which culminated in a grave injury.”

The court heard that Walters had been at the pub with his then girlfriend when he was involved in a dispute with another man.

Walters used racial language to the man as he left the pub, carrying two drinks in his hand. The victim followed Walters into the car park where the assault took place.

Judge Smith told Walters: “You swilled him with one of the pints in your hand. He approached you and you quite deliberately glassed him in the face.

“It was deliberate though I accept that you did not intend to cause these appalling injuries.

“You were racially insulting to him and struck that deliberate blow with the glass. You discarded it when it broke and put another in your hand to arm yourself again. You even took a drink from the glass while the victim was held back.”

The assault caused a 7cm long “deep and gaping” wound to the victim’s cheek and a small one to his neck.

Judge Smith told Walters: “You challenged all aspects of this case and I could see not a hint of remorse at the trial.”

He said an additional feature was racial aggravation.

Brian Dean, defending, said there had been no premeditation and Walters had taken leave of his senses and behaved in a way he had never before nor since.

“It was a senseless, foul-mouthed comment made in drink,” MrDean said. “It was a hollow comment and did not represent any racial hostility to the victim. Walters is not a racist.

“It was a one-off, out of character incident which lasted seconds in an otherwise unblemished life.”

Mr Dean said Walters, who lives in London, had been deputy head boy at his school and had a good degree.

In jailing Walters for two years nine months Judge Smith said: “I find this was racially aggravated but I do not find you a racist. You have a genuinely exemplary character.”

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