A man lay in wait outside a bar and attacked a DJ at the end of the night with a large coffee mug. Ash Gilmore had been ejected from the premises before arming himself with the cup and returning to the pub looking for a member of staff. A judge told the father-of-five that he had hidden himself outside the bar “like a thief in the night” before hitting his victim in the face with the mug while in a “drunken stupor”.
The DJ was left bleeding with a gash above the eye and to the eyelid. Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that on the night of February 29, 2023, the complainant in the case was DJing at Bar 46 in Bridge Street in Aberystwyth as she had done for a number of years. Gilmore, from Birmingham, who was not part of the bar’s usual crowd, had his conduct cause concern leading to his ejection from the bar.
Following the ejection, Gilmore returned with another male, armed with a coffee mug, and hid outside the bar. When the DJ left and got into her car, Gilmore and the other male approached, prevented her from closing the door, and struck her in the face with the mug, causing injuries that required medical attention.
The victim endured physical and psychological impact, leading to panic attacks and self-confidence issues. Gilmore had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage. Despite his lack of previous convictions, Gilmore was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, with additional requirements for rehabilitation and unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay the victim £1,740 in compensation.
The judge recognised the impact of the assault and the defendant’s responsibilities as a father, opting for a suspended sentence in an exceptional course of action. The incident left the victim feeling trapped in a nightmare, raising questions about whether she was targeted due to being transgender. The court proceedings reflected the severity of the attack and its consequences on the victim’s well-being.