Grimoldby man admits ‘unprovoked attack’ which could leave his victim with £8,000 dental bill

William Carter, 20, of Orchard Park, Grimoldby, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he appeared before magistrates in Boston today (Tuesday).

Prosecuting, Emma Price said that the victim of the assault, Reece Hudson, was out in Louth with his girlfriend on March 7 when they ‘bumped into’ Carter who was out with friends, and he tried to cause trouble for Mr Hudson at that time.

Later, in the early hours of the next day, Carter again came up to Mr Hudson, who was waiting with his girlfriend for a lift home, and ‘squared up to him, saying: “Do something – do something”.’

She said Mr Hudson refused, saying he didn’t want to and when around 15 apparent friends of Carter surrounded him, he put his hands behind his back.

Ms Price said Carter then punched Mr Hudson in the mouth, loosening two of his teeth and leaving him covered in blood.

After being taken to hospital, Ms Price said Mr Hudson received dental treatment and may need future treatment which would cost more than £8,000.

She said it had been ‘a completely unprovoked attack’ which would result in a ‘huge cost to the victim’.

Mitigating, Michael Alexander said there was some evidence of provocation as, earlier in the evening, the victim had ‘shoulder barged’ Carter and that in the later incident, the victim had gone up to Carter at which Carter had hit him a single blow.

Mr Alexander said Carter accepted he could have walked away and should not have hit him.

The magistrates ruled that despite the guilty plea, there were two substantially different accounts of what had occurred and that there would be a ‘Newton hearing’ at which the facts would be examined in order to establish the appropriate sentence.

Carter was granted bail until the hearing next May.