Man jailed for ‘animalistic’ bottle attack

Gavin David Quigley will spend half this sentence in custody and the remaining half on licence in the community.

The 44-year-old, of Altcar Park, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm on December 14, 2018.

A co-accused, Hannah Duddy, also of Altcar Park, received a six month sentence suspended for two years.

The 26-year-old admitted assaulting the man after he approached her and another woman for assistance.

Derry Crown Court heard that Quigley, Duddy and another female were in the injured party’s house drinking when Quigley became aggressive towards him.

There was an argument over money and the victim remembered both Duddy and Quigley breaking a bottle each.

Quigley then ‘stuck the bottle’ in the side of the man’s head before sitting down.

The victim staggered over to Duddy and the other female seeking help and he was slapped and punched to the face.

He was taken to hospital and was found to have multiple lacerations to his head, his face, his back, his chest, his left elbow and left wrist.

Passing sentence, Judge Babington said the injured party ‘will be left with scarring lasting a lifetime’.

Referring to Quigley, the judge said he had shown an ‘extreme level of brutality’ and added it is hard ‘to think of a more horrific weapon than a broken bottle’.

Turning to Duddy, Judge Babington said her behaviour towards someone who ‘clearly needed help and assistance’ was ‘appalling’.