Bouncer who threw ‘unconscious’ third year down stairs spared jail

He was given a 12 month suspended sentence

| UPDATED 12 months assault bodily harm bouncer centre concert square crown court doorman fleet street jail judge level liverpool national night night out nightclub nightlife noad sentence student

A bouncer who threw an unconscious third year down a flight of stairs has been spared jail.

Mohammad Tofayel, 34, was slapped with a 12 month suspended sentence and 180 hours community service after admitting to assaulting a student causing actual bodily harm.

A judge told Mr Tofayel – who worked at Level nightclub in Liverpool – he could have killed student Joshua McKeown after the incident on September 24 last year.

CCTV footage played in court showed the doorman throwing the student, who was unconscious at the time, down concrete stairs.

The incident happened on Fleet Street, just off Concert Square (Wikipedia Commons)

Liverpool Crown Court heard Joshua had left the nightclub after his friend had banged her head inside. When he tried to re-enter, a female bouncer refused him entry.

Mr Keown then shouted something at the female bouncer and was grabbed by one of the other three doormen and a struggle took place.

The prosecution said people in the queue for the nightclub described how Tofayel put Joshua in a headlock, after which the third year’s legs stopped moving and he seemed to “go limp”.

A witness said Toyafel was heard telling the female bouncer: “Go on, hit him, he hit you so you hit him.”

According to the witness the female bouncer replied: “No I can’t, it’s finished, it’s over.”

Tofayel then threw him face first down a flight of concrete steps, where he lay sprawled with his trousers around his ankles.

The victim suffered a broken nose, a head injury and wounds to his left eyelid, lip and chin, which required stitches.

The accused doorman told police how Joshua had bitten his arm and the female bouncer’s wrist.

He also claimed Joshua had racially abused him and denied knocking him unconscious, but admitted to causing actual bodily harm.

Tofayal is no longer working on the doors at Level and his defence said he was “thoroughly ashamed” by his behaviour.

The bouncer was ordered to pay Joshua Keown £3,000 in compensation and £800 towards court costs, alongside his suspended jail sentence.