Man jailed for ‘violent’ glass bottle attack on Liverpool student in Smithdown pub

A man has been charged following a violent attack on a student in a pub on Smithdown Road.

21-year-old Shyun Patel was “struck by a bottle” by a football fan in September 2023.

Mark Nolan was sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment for the attack, which “left a lasting impact” on the dentistry student’s life, the ECHO reports.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how Shyun was “struck” in the face by the bottle at The Brookhouse pub on Smithdown Road.

The University of Liverpool student suffered major injuries and lacerations to his face as a result of the attack, including a fractured cheekbone and a gruesome wound on the top of his head.

He has since said in court that the events of the evening “have left a lasting impact on his life”.

39-year-old Nolan was sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment on Tuesday afternoon after being found guilty of wounding with intent.

CCTV footage from the venue shows the dangerous altercation between Shyun and Nolan, as well as the perpetrator’s cousin, 28 year-old Raymond Perry.

The men, who were known regulars at the venue, were in attendance at the Brookhouse Pub to watch a football match, and became involved in a disagreement between a female student who was visiting as part of a larger group, which included Shyun Patel.

Raymond Perry had been accused of “inappropriately touching” the female student.

He was then confronted by the student’s boyfriend, which “appeared to be the catalyst” for the altercation involving the injured dentistry student. Raymond Perry claimed to have only “jokingly tapped her on the shoulder” and was not charged with any sexual offences.

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David Watson, the prosecutor at Liverpool Crown Court, said Perry was pushed by the female student’s boyfriend, but then went on to punch him twice in the face.

The CCTV footage then shows Mark Nolan running from his seat to strike the compliant over the head with a bottle before the exchange was de-escalated by security.

As the group of students attempted to leave the premises of The Brookhouse minutes after the incident, they were targeted again by another unidentified man who punched both of them to the head.

Shyun, who had been at the pub with the victim of the first attack, was then “struck by a bottle at close quarters” by the perpetrator.

He “immediately winced” and made efforts to protect his face.

Mark Nolan was then seen fleeing the pub “in haste”, putting his hood up as he exited the venue. His accomplice and cousin Raymond Perry continued the onslaught by hurling a barstool towards the injured student.

Shyun was rushed to The Royal Liverpool Hospital and then was transferred to Aintree Hospital.

He was treated for a broken left cheek and a 5cm wound which revealed the muscle underneath exposed. He also suffered a separate cut at the top of his head from the chair.

The UoL dental student now requires cosmetic surgery to reverse the facial scarring caused by the attack.

In his statement read to Liverpool Crown Court, he recounted that the “events have left a lasting impact on his life”.

He said: “The city of Liverpool and its people have always been open and kind to me. These events have changed how I feel about my surroundings.

“For a month after the assault, I covered the mirrors in my house with bin bags to avoid seeing the gash on my face.

“I stood up for what I believed was right that night for someone in a vulnerable position, hearing that a young woman had been subjected to inappropriate advances.

“No mother should ever look at her son’s face and feel upset.”

Shyun added: “This crime could have blinded me or, worse, killed me if it had struck me to the temple. I stood up for what was right. I ask the court to ensure that these actions are not without consequences”.

In an interview with Raymond Perry, following both defendants handing themselves in to Merseyside Police, he claimed to have attacked in self defence.

However, he admitted he threw the chair “in the heat of the moment” and said “his actions had got out of hand”.

Mark Nolan has five previous convictions for 15 offences, including for drug and firearms offences.

He also made an appearance in court 2016 after a fight on Bold Street, which saw him kick and stamp on his victim as he lay on the floor.

During his trial for the attack on Shyun Patel, Mark Nolan was found guilty of wounding with intent, and was jailed for five and a half years on March 25th.

Raymond Perry pleaded guilty to affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was handed nine months imprisonment suspended for 18 months plus 180 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 15 days.

Both men were also handed five year restraining orders.

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones, who sentenced the men, said: “Yet again, the court is dealing with violence breaking out on a licensed premises.

“It seems that you went independently to The Brookhouse pub that night. As far as you were concerned, Mr Nolan, you went out with another friend intending to watch a football match, and had spent four or five hours in the pub before the violence broke out.

“You say that you had six or seven bottles of beer on that night. Clearly, you, and also Mr Perry, were both in drink. You, Mr Perry, had also been in the pub for a substantial amount of time drinking.

“You had accosted her in some way. I am not dealing with you for that contact. It is only relevant, in a sense, to set the scene and because it turned out to be the catalyst for what was to follow”.

The judge also referenced the statement provided by the dentistry student, Shyun Patel. He said the attack had been a “severe, traumatic experience” on the victim, adding that there was “clearly a risk that there will be an irreversible impact”.

Featured image via Merseyside Police and Google Maps