Solicitor who inflicted life-changing injuries on his friend by headbutting him at rugby match escapes jail
Thug was rowing with referee when he attacked man who intervened
A THUGGISH solicitor who headbutted his friend at a youth rugby match and left him with life-changing injuries has narrowly avoided jail.
Gavin Dowell, 50, launched the attack when pal Mark Scoble tried to intervene in an argument he was having with the referee.
Father-of-five Gavin had claimed his son was assaulted on the pitch and turned to the referee to do something.
But the ref replied "I didn't see it, therefore I can't do anything about it."
Dowell confronted the referee and Mr Scoble told him to calm down with the defendant replying: "If the ref would f*****g sort it I will."
But instead of heeding Mr Scoble's advice to walk away, Dowell headbutted him in the face.
Dowell, formerly of Redland, Bristol, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm at Gloucester Crown Court earlier in the year after previously denying it.
He was handed a two year suspended sentence at Taunton Crown Court today.
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Sentencing him, Judge Ticehurst said: "You committed this offence in temper. It was a deliberate, premeditated act of violence.
"In my judgement any expressions of regret on your part are for your own benefit.
";You were in a privileged position as a professional.
"Other people have similar or even greater stresses in their lives than the ones you did - they do not commit serious assault.
"The impact on Mr Scoble's life was life-changing for him. You could have walked away.
"You could have accepted Mr Scoble's attempts to diffuse it rather than violently head-butting him as you did."
The incident between the men, who were both coaches at the Old Bristolians U16 rugby team, happened on 12 October 2014 during an away game.
Prosecuting, Giles Nelson said: "It seems that during the game that one of the boys was assaulted by another player. That boy was the son of the defendant."
The court heard how Mr Scoble made repeated attempts to calm his friend down and told him to move away, before standing between the defendant and the referee and putting his hand on Dowell's shoulder.
The solicitor then said "why, do you want some too?" before launching himself headfirst at Mr Scoble with his hands in his pockets.
Mr Nelson said: "Mr Scoble was knocked unconscious. He was taken to Bath Royal Hospital where he was treated for a broken nose.
"The swelling on his eye was so bad it was completely closed."
Mr Scoble suffered a detached retina had to have six operations to date on his eye. He has bad headaches and nausea as a result of the attack.
In a victim statement read to the court, Mr Scoble said: "I have struggled to sleep and eat which has only recently started to return.
"My relationship with my wife and family has been affected.
"I have become depressed, moody, agitated, had a loss of sense of humour and generally become the opposite of what I am.
"The impact of Gavin assaulting me may well last for the rest of my life."
Defending, Samuel Jones said that Dowell had been going through a "messy divorce" and had been under a lot of stress at the time of the fracas.
Mr Jones said: "His relationship with his former partner had come to an end. It was an extremely messy divorce which obviously took a financial strain.
"Divorce proceedings came to an end with the incident. The stresses that that put on him were very real and very significant."
The court heard how his ex had been diagnosed with Huntington's at the time of the match and his father was battling with cancer at the time.
Mr Jones added: "These actions are entirely outside of the character of the man who appears before you.
"He said it is the 'single most shameful event of his adult life'. He is distraught."
Judge Ticehurst remarked: "He doesn't look particularly distraught but maybe that's his impassive court face."
Dowell has been ordered to serve 300 hours of community service and to shell out £10,000 in compensation to Mr Scoble.
He has also received a lifetime ban from the Old Bristolian's Rugby Club.