Two men have been jailed after a shard of glass was used to inflict “life-changing” facial injuries to a man in an unprovoked attack at a Colchester skate park.
Darryl Rolfe, 29, of Viscount Drive, Colchester, and Rhys Welham, 26, of Hazelton Road, Colchester, each received three-year sentences at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday, August 6 for wounding with intent after admitting the offences.
On Friday, October 11, last year, a man and his friend were watching films at a skate park in Cowdray Avenue when they were approached by Rolfe and Welham, who were shouting at the pair, the court heard.
One of the men grabbed an empty glass bottle from the floor and smashed it against one of the obstacles.
The victim was then threatened with a shard of glass before receiving severe cuts to the left side of face, which narrowly missed his eye.
The victim and his friend managed to escape and sought help in McDonald’s ahead of paramedics and police arriving.
The victim received 28 stitches for the wound at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.
Both Rolfe and Welham were identified from video footage of the attack and they were located and arrested four days later by officers.
DC Andy Young, of Colchester CID, who was the investigating officer in the case, said it was “completely unprovoked attack” and the level of aggression and violence used in the incident was caught on video.
He said: “The victim was innocently enjoying the company of his friend when they were both approached by Rolfe and Welham.
“One of the defendants used a shard of glass to subject a man to serious, life-changing facial injuries, while the other encouraged his actions.
“This completely unprovoked attack was caught on video, showing the level of aggression and violence used.”
He added: “The video, the severity of the injuries and the fact the attack took place in a skate park used by many people were all aggravating features in the judge’s sentencing and summary.
“Rolfe and Welham will now spend time locked in a prison cell for their actions.”
Judge Patricia Lynch sentenced Rolfe and Welham each to three years imprisonment for the attack.
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