Bristol thug guilty of glassing woman police officer

A thug who threw a pint glass into a Bristol police officer's face is due to be sentenced today after being convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Damien Gordon's victim PC Henrietta Staveley-Brown has told the Bristol Evening Post she thought she was going to die after being knocked off her feet by the force of the blow, which left her scarred for life.

Yesterday afternoon, a jury at Bristol Crown Court found Damien Gordon guilty of carrying out the attack at the Wayfarer pub in Southmead.

The relief on PC Staveley-Brown's face was obvious as the foreman delivered the verdict after three hours and 19 minutes of deliberation.

"I actually thought I was going to die," the 40-year-old told the Post as she recalled what should have been a routine call-out on February 7. "It was a serious head injury and I know head injuries can go one way or the other.

"I'm relieved at the verdict. What happened that night is not something I'll ever forget.

"There is some anger that basically the respect for the police is not there any more.

"It's really affected my confidence. I'm still able to be an operational police officer but it has affected my thinking when responding to an incident.

"When we got the call we just thought it was a scuffle in a pub, which nine times out of 10 doesn't come to anything."

PC Staveley-Brown, known to her colleagues as 'Hen', was nearly blinded – and could still lose the sight in her left eye – by the terrible wound she received when she was called to help deal with a mass brawl at the pub in Pen Park Road.

She was part of a police emergency response unit called at 11pm when a fight involving as many as 70 people broke out, the jury heard.

But as soon as she stepped through the door a pint glass was hurled at her face – knocking her to the ground, shattering her left eye socket and fracturing her nose. The officer of 16 years' experience needed 26 stitches.

Police officers saw the glass had been thrown by Gordon, 28, of Romney Avenue, Lockleaze.

They said he had thrown it ''like a baseball pitcher" and arrested him straight away. He denied ever throwing the glass. PC Michelle Maunder was also in the pub. She got her colleague back to her feet and drove her to Frenchay Hospital. PC Maunder said: "I was very scared and just so shocked. I too thought Hen might die because she was losing a lot of blood and I knew she had a very severe head injury.

"I'm very relieved it's over now. What happened that night has affected all of the officers who were present and it has given us some closure to think Damien Gordon has been brought to justice."

PC Staveley-Brown has regained the vision in her left eye but has permanent scars and indentations above her eye and on her forehead.

She has been told by a specialist that if she "sees stars fall from her eye" she must get to hospital immediately as it could mean her retina has detached and threaten her sight. PC Staveley-Brown said: "I'm aware that I have been lucky, because a blow like that can kill you."

Gordon was also found guilty of battery against PC Oomesh Danhawoor for kicking him three times when he was in a police car after his arrest.

He also denied that charge, saying he kicked the driver's seat.

Gordon is due to be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court today.