A BEWSEY man has escaped a jail sentence after drunkenly trying to deliver a flying kick to a former model in a Warrington bar.

Lewis Conroy, 27, of Cartwright Street in Bewsey appeared in the dock at Warrington Crown Court on Monday alongside 30-year-old Ryan Jarvis of The Copse in Runcorn.

Conroy and Jarvis had gone to watch the Grand National and play pool at Bridges Bar in the town centre on April 9.

The court was shown CCTV footage of Jarvis, who was wearing a bobble hat, punching another man several times, but Jarvis said he could not remember why the fight started.

The victim retreated to a corridor where CCTV showed Conroy trying to deliver a flying kick.

Matthew Corbett-Jones, prosecuting, said: “Without warning the victim was punched to the face, there were at least two punches of sufficient force to knock him back.

“The defendant (Jarvis) continued threatening to come at him.”

When police arrested Jarvis, he indicated that he was drunk after having 10 double Jack Daniels and had possibly taken cocaine.

X-rays of the victim’s face revealed he had suffered a fracture to the left eye socket and a suspected fracture to the nose.

Mr Corbett-Jones said: “He had done modelling and television work in the past but because of injuries to the face he felt it was unlikely to continue.

“He feels self conscious. He’s also concerned that this may have had some racial motivation and feels in fear of unprovoked attacks.”

Jarvis pleaded guilty to a charge of affray and defending him, Nigel Booth said: “A daughter was born to Mr Jarvis and his girlfriend last Friday and it’s a great punishment in itself to miss the birth.

“Since he’s been in custody he’s not spoken with his old associates and he showed a great desire to make a break.”

Conroy pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.

Maria Masselis defending Conroy said he had experienced a difficult childhood and had suffered from a rare cancer, non Hodgkin’s lymphoma, at the age of 18.

She said: “He lives in constant fear that that may be something he will face again in the future.

“He’s also adopted a dog and it’s a motivational thing, it means he has no choice but to go out and for someone who has suffered depression and anxiety that’s very positive.

“He’s ashamed of himself and he regrets his behaviour, he doesn’t seek to excuse it.”

Sentencing, Judge Tina Landale said: “You went out to enjoy the Grand National with friends and so did the victim.

“He ended up with the most serious injuries. He has been left with the additional anxiety that he may have been targeted because of his race. In fact that is unfounded.

“The motivation was that the pair of you have got hopelessly drunk and both of you had cocaine as well. Neither of you knew what you were doing.”

Jarvis was handed a suspended sentence of 12 months and a three month curfew order while Conroy was given a suspended sentence of 12 months, 120 hours of unpaid work and ordered to complete a rehabilitation course.