Alleged bottler cleared

A father-of-two has been cleared by an Old Bailey jury of breaking a Pinot Grigio bottle over a party guest’s head.

Declan Woods, 39, was found not guilty today (mon) of attacking retail worker Chabala Mwenechanya, also known as ‘Monique’, at his girlfriend’s east London flat on 28 August last year.

Ms Mwenechanya, a friend of Woods’ girlfriend Joanne Andrews, told the Old Bailey that she said to Woods that his partner ‘likes Jamaican men’ before the alleged attack in Colvestone Crescent, Hackney.

But the jury cleared Woods of wounding with intent and an alternate charge of unlawful wounding after only two hours of deliberations.

Woods, who appeared in court wearing a white shirt and tie, smiled with relief as jurors brought back their verdict.

He had denied all the charges against him and told the court that he had ‘no idea’ how Mwenechaya had sustained the injuries to her face.

Ms Mwenechanya said she had been drinking champagne on the night and was ‘merry’, describing herself as ‘eight out of ten’ on the inebriation scale.

She admitted taking ‘weed and cocaine’ at the party, and said that she, Woods and Ms Andrews were all drunk.

Woods, of George Downing Estate, Cazenove Road, Stoke Newington, north London, was acquitted of wounding with intent and an alternate charge of unlawful wounding.