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Full Report
 | November 02, 1992 |
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The youth accused of blinding film star Glenda Jackson's son was today (Wed) sentenced to five years in a young offenders institution. Jason Norris, 18, who has never been in trouble before, looked close to tears as he was led out of the Old Bailey dock by a prison officer. A stupid argument over a beer throwing incident led to his lashing out with a glass. It shattered and sliced Daniel Hodges' eye in two leaving him partially blind and badly scarred. Ironically Mr Hodges, 23, a researcher who lives in Black heath, se London with his mother, the newly elected Labour MP for Hampstead, had been acting as 'peacemaker.' Norris was found guilty of wounding Mr Hodges with intent on February 21 this year. Sentencing Norris, a plumbers mate, Judge Nina Lowry said: 'When you were only 17 you were drinking in this public house. 'Some other young men threw beer and it landed on a member of another party sitting nearby and that man naturally wondered what was going on. 'For no good reason you entered into the affair in an ag gressive manner. 'Other people, older and more sensible remonstrated with you. At that point you aimed a blow with a glass in your hand at the victim who was in fact trying to keep the peace. 'That glass broke on impact causing dreadful injury and you ran off. 'Mr Hodges lost an eye and is also permanantly scarred and faces a further operation. He and his companions were a perfect ly ordinary group of young people on an evening out. 'Indeed, no sentence I can pass can help that young man who has is partially lost his sight. 'You didn't intend to cause such a dreadful injury, but as the jury has found you must have intended grievous bodily harm when you used a glass on his face. 'Anybody of any age knows the dreadful danger of using glass as a weapon. This was a gratuitous act of violence in a pulbic house - totally unnecessary.' The judge told Norris that she was reducing his sentence because of his previous good character, his youth and obviously genuine remorse. Miss Linda Strudwick defending told the court that Norris had intended to plead guilty at the start but had been advised not to by his lawyers 'because he was told he had a defence.' In evidence Norris, of Wimbourne Close, Lee said he had been frightened by Mr Hodges' friends and thought he was going to get a good 'spanking.' He said he had not realised he had a glass in his hand when he hit out at Mr Hodges. o73 Just before the verdict was delivered a man in the public gallery gestured to nervous looking Norris to keep his chin up. ENDS memo: photonews have a pic of victim and defendant Tel: 071 248 5909 ens memo MMMM | |