AN OVERSEAS student who knocked out a drunk has said he should not have hit the man – because he was a Buddhist.
Hosal Guyett, an 18-year-old student at Wrexham’s Yale College, floored the man with a punch which resulted in him hitting his head on the floor.
Guyett, of Old Willington Road, Gobowen, pleaded guilty at Wrexham Magistrates Court to inflicting grievous bodily harm and appeared before Mold Crown Court yesterday for sentencing.
Prosecutor Frances Willmott said complainant Richard Williams had been to a works Christmas party in Rossett, on November 17, and ended up in South Central bar in Wrexham “exceedingly drunk”.
The victim, who remembered nothing of the incident, had to be escorted out of the bar by staff.
Ms Willmott said: “As he walked up Town Hill he brushed past the defendant and there was a conversation between the two that appeared to be friendly.”
But witnesses said the men then began touching each others’ arms and Guyett appeared to become irate and invited Mr Williams into an alleyway to ‘sort it out’.
Ms Willmott said Guyett threw one punch which failed to connect and then another which sent Mr Williams to the floor where he banged his head and was unconscious.
Guyett spoke to witnesses and said they should check Mr Williams was alright and then stepped over him and walked away.
Mr Williams was semi-conscious by the time he arrived at hospital.
Although he was found to have some bleeding to the brain, the injury was not serious and he was released after 24 hours.
Oliver King defending, said Guyett was not used to drinking but was drunk on this occasion.
When arrested close to the scene, Guyett made a comment about being a Buddhist and said he should not have reacted in such a way.
The teenager claimed there had been more than a casual bump between the two men and that the victim had put his hands on Guyett’s shoulders and pressed down, he alleged.
Guyett accepted he overreacted and what happened was completely out of character from someone who had never been in trouble before.
Guyett, who is studying for a BTEC sports qualification, said he was ‘deeply ashamed’ of what he had done, especially in letting his parents down and was anxious to apologise.
Judge Philip Hughes said: “Your victim was obviously very drunk and you were also drunk and you brushed into each other and it soon developed into a violent incident.
“This kind of offending in the streets late at night cannot be tolerated.”
But the judge took into account the defendant’s age, his clean record and the fact that he had faced up to his responsibilities and suspended a 10 month jail sentence for 18 months.
Guyett was ordered to complete 240 hours unpaid community work, pay £500 compensation to Mr Williams and £350 towards court costs.