A Zairan who viciously clubbed a fellow refugee ov

A Zairan who viciously clubbed a fellow refugee over the head
with a bottle in a Clapton nightclub has been jailed for nine months.

Emmanuel Luyeye, also from Zaire, needed 10 stitches
after a ‘gratuitous’ attack at the hands of Mata Vriai, 31,
after a row over a seat, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told
Vriai, unemployed, of Great Cambridge Road, Edmonton, pleaded
guilty to unlawful wounding.

Jailing him for nine months, Judge Robert Southan said:
‘This was a serious assault on a compatriot.

It was a piece of
gratuitous violence and not the sort of behaviour tolerated in this
country.

‘
Judge Southan described the wine bottle Vriai used to bludgeon
his victim with as an ‘extremely nasty weapon’ that would have caused
‘far worse injuries’ if it had broken.

The court had heard that in the early hours of August 17 last
year Vriai was out at an African music concert at ‘Dougies’ Night Club
in Lower Clapton Road, Lower Clapton.

During the gig Mr Luyeye, 34 – who was a friend of Vriai’s
cousins – approached Vriai but was ‘told to go away in abusive terms’,
said Mr David Iles, prosecuting.

And later on Mr Luyeye returned to ask if he could use his seat.

Vriai said he was going to kill Mr Luyeye and picked up a
wine bottle.

‘He struck him six times on the head although the bottle did not
break,’ added Mr Iles.

Mr Luyeye was later taken to hospital where three cuts
were stitched up.

Vriai, who was in tears after the incident, was restrained by
security guards until police arrived to arrest him.

During an interview he denied it was him and said that it was so
busy there that it could have been anyone.

Mr Jeremy Barnett, defending, explained that Vriai had come to
England as a refugee two and a half years ago claiming political
assylum.

‘His enjoyment of the concert was interrupted by the victim who
wanted his place.

Words were exchanged and in the end there was a
fracas.

He is very ashamed.

‘
ENDS