Sheffield bouncer battered and bit co-worker outside Tank nightclub

Christopher Barker approached his victim to "resolve their differences" outside Tank, on Arundel Gate, at around 10.30pm, on February 22, last year.

CCTV showed his victim striking him with a torch, before Barker took it off him and the pair grappled and fell over.

Barker hit him nine times with the torch, kicked him in the head and struck him a final time in his face, prosecutor Susan Evans told Sheffield Crown Court, on Wednesday.

During the attack, Barker bit the man on the nose.

His victim was left with a dislocated shoulder, a hairline skull fracture and five head wounds that had to be stitched.

In a statement made two months later, the man said he was left with a "disfiguring" scar and needed time off work because of his injuries and still suffered from pain and limited movement.

The court heard Barker has five previous convictions for nine offences. He received an 18 month suspended sentence in 2005, after wounding an intruder who entered his home, and a community order in 2010 for animal welfare offences.

Richard Evans, mitigating, said the 45-second assault was unpremeditated and "clearly a loss of self control," but Barker "realised he had gone too far."

He said Barker, who worked as a doorman for two and a half years, couldn't renew his SIA badge because he and his partner were homeless and living in a tent at the time.

He had been working as a glass collector when his victim wagged his finger at him and Barker shoved him, the court heard.

Barker was suspended, but contacted his boss who agreed he should try to "resolve matters by way of conversation," Mr Evans said, adding Barker is at high risk of Covid 19 after part of his lung was removed due to pneumonia.

Barker, 43, of the Pastures, Todwick, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, on July 14.

Recorder David Gordon said it was "unrestrained violence which caused really nasty injuries." He sentenced him to four years and imposed a ten-year restraining order.

Read the latest cases from Sheffield Crown Court here.

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