A FATHER-OF-FOUR narrowly escaped jail after he launched an "absolutely disgraceful" attack on the peacemaker during a confrontation in an alleyway.

Daniel Beauchamp's victim was pushed violently to the floor, hitting his head on the pavement, and then kicked, fracturing his jaw in the assault, Gloucester Crown Court heard last Thursday.

Surinder Attwell had intervened in a confrontation in the town in the early hours of Sunday, July 12 this year between Beauchamp and the victim's sister and another girl, the court heard.

Beauchamp, 28, of Rye Close, Bourton-on-the-Water had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was committed to the crown court for sentence by Cheltenham magistrates on September 10.

Prosecuting barrister Julian Kesner told Recorder Browne QC: "It was 1am in the morning in Tewkesbury and Mr Attwell was among a group walking home when one of the group said 'hello' to the defendant who was on his mobile phone.

"For some reason the defendant took exception at this and became aggressive and abusive. He pursued the group down an alleyway and confronted one of the girls. He pushed her with both hands and she slapped him.

"The defendant then said that he was going to knock the girl's teeth out and also knock out the victim's sister's teeth. Mr Attwell acted as a peacemaker and got between them and asked his group to walk on. But as he was walking away he was pushed by the defendant and he fell over hitting his head on the pavement.

"But then the defendant kicked him and Mr Attwell was taken to hospital. He suffered a fractured left jaw and had a metal plate inserted and also had to have a wisdom tooth removed. The defendant has no previous convictions and only a caution dating back to 2006."

Conceding that it was a "disgraceful" incident, defending lawyer Nicola Colwall said: "My client was not pursuing the group into the alleyway – he was going in that direction anyway. This was entirely out of character as he very rarely goes out drinking and now he has stopped altogether and has not gone out since.

"He has an excellent job with staff under him and is highly thought of by his employers who know about this case and are still prepared for him to keep his job. He is also a father of four children and the main provider and unfortunately his wife has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy."

Recorder Browne said: "This was an absolutely disgraceful incident and you richly deserve to go straight to prison. But due to your personal circumstances, your early guilty plea and the fact that you have only a caution to your name I am just about able to suspend that sentence."

Beauchamp was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to pay his victim £2,500 compensation.

The case against the defendant's brother David Beauchamp of Lancaster Road, Priors Park, Tewkesbury, who was also originally charged in relation to the incident, was not continued with as Daniel accepted full responsibility.