City boy who glassed man in club escapes jail and gets to keep his job
He got off because it would ‘ruin his career’
Jack CummingsA “privileged” city boy avoided jail after glassing a man and pushing over a woman in a club because prison would ruin his career.
Attacker Edward Drew – who works for investment firm M and G – wept in the dock as the court heard he left another man covered in blood.
Drew was dancing with a female friend’s legs wrapped around his waist when the fight started.
They knocked over a woman’s drink while grinding at a central London club.
When Kirsten Barker called the pair “fucking idiots” and poured a drink over banker Edward, he pushed her to the floor.
The 25-year-old Chester grad then threw a glass at her friend Hanish Lodhia’s face when he tried to intervene at The Gable bar in Moorgate.
Hanish was left covered in blood with a gash on his forehead – while a flying shard of glass also cut the throat of third victim, Juliette Keyte.
Edward kept his job after pushing a girl over and glassing a man who got involved
Attacker Edward from Wandsworth works at City investment firm M&G and admitted assault as well as two counts of battery.
He cried as the judge handed him a 12 month imprisonment imprisonment suspended for two years.
This means Edward will avoid jail if he doesn’t commit any more crimes.
The judge told the Old Bailey: “It’s a very serious incident, and it’s fortunate that the injuries were not more severe than they were.
“Throwing a glass at someone’s face could have led to loss of an eye or worse.”
He noted Edward had a “privileged background and a lot going for him”.
Edward has a private education from the Anglo European School and got a business degree from the University of Chester.
The judge said he weighed up the seriousness of the incident against the effect a prison term would have on Edward’s City career, having heard he would lose his job if was jailed.
He said: “Taking into account your good character and your plea and the remorse of which I’ve been made aware and the personal circumstances, I have — with considerable hesitation — decided that I can properly suspend the sentence of imprisonment.”
The ‘privileged’ Chester grad was given a two year suspended sentence. Photo – Linkedin
Brent Martin, defending, said Drew was horrified by the attack when shown the CCTV by police, and voluntarily checked himself in for counselling.
In a character reference Neil Brown, a global retail sales manager at M&G, said Drew’s future at the firm was hanging in the balance.
Drew is set to keep his job following the sentence, but will face disciplinary proceedings.
Neil Brown told the court: “If I thought for one minute there was likely to be a repeat of this incident, he would no longer be working for M&G.”
Recorder Jonathan Cohen said: “I’ve struggled with the conflicting pulls of an immediate custodial sentence for an attack of this kind and I’ve balanced against that the probably ruinous effect on the career of someone such as yourself.”
“Taking into account your good character and you plea and the remorse of which I’ve been made aware and the personal circumstances, I’ve with considerable hesitation decided that I can properly suspend the sentence of imprisonment.”
Drew was ordered to pay £460 compensation to Mr Lodhia for his blood-soaked clothes, prosecution costs of £1,000 and a £100 victim surcharge. He must also do a rehab course plus 100 hours of community service.