A man has been jailed after hitting a woman over the head with a champagne bottle in a central London bar. William Hilton, 37, also went on to punch the same woman, Gemma Scott, during the incident at Zebrano in Soho on May 14 2022.
He was convicted in February, after a trial, of wounding with intent, and was sentenced to five years in prison with three years’ extended licence period at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday. The court heard Hilton hit Ms Scott over the head with a bottle of Taittinger champagne after she directed insulting comments at one of his sisters.
Recorder Mathew Gullick KC found the defendant legally dangerous and said: “You became angry as a result of the abusive comments made to your sister by Gemma Scott and decided to exact retribution by taking matters into your own hands.” The judge added that Ms Scott’s behaviour was not threatening and told Hilton: “Your violence was unprovoked and unjustified.”
READ MORE: Two teenage girls sexually assaulted on Tube escalators after feeling ‘something wet’ on their backs
Ms Scott had been to the theatre with a friend and celebrating her engagement before going to the Greek Street bar where they fell into conversation with Hilton and his two sisters.
There was an argument in which Ms Scott made insulting comments to one of the sisters. “(Hilton) picked up a bottle…from a bucket with ice and he is seen to hit the victim over the head with the bottle, the bottom of the bottle appearing to connect with her scalp,” prosecutor Terence Woods said.
The bottle did not smash but fell out of Hilton’s hand, the court heard. Mr Woods continued: “He then punches the victim at least once and is seen trying to punch her again.”
“She goes to the floor of the bar where it seems she is unconscious.” Hilton, of Pinner, north-west London, was apprehended by security staff at the bar and then later arrested by police.
Ms Scott had a cut to her scalp and a cut above her eyebrow but no fracture or neck injury. Hilton gave police a prepared statement after his arrest in which he said he did not remember hitting anyone with a bottle and “would do no such thing”, the court heard.
In a victim personal statement read out by Mr Woods, Ms Scott described being “scared” as a result of the incident which has made her “think twice” about going out. “There will be a permanent scar above her left eyebrow which she says is an everyday reminder of the incident,” the prosecutor said.
The court heard Hilton had previous convictions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault committed in September 2016 in a nightclub in Harrow.
The judge said Hilton choked one man and punched another, giving him a black eye and knocking out some teeth, during the 2016 incident. In mitigation it was argued that Hilton should not be considered legally dangerous, is remorseful and is “mortified” by what happened.
The court heard he was someone “prepared to put himself in harm’s way in defence of others” both by being a former member of the armed forces and by volunteering to deliver PPE during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our London Court & Crime newsletter brings you the latest major court updates and breaking news straight to your inbox. You can sign up HERE.
