In a shocking incident, a DJ was brutally attacked as she was leaving after her set at a Welsh bar. The perpetrator, Ash Gilmore, had been ejected from the bar earlier in the night due to his disruptive behaviour. Gilmore armed himself with a large coffee mug and waited outside the bar for the DJ. When she left and got into her car, Gilmore approached her, demanded to know if the police were looking for him, and proceeded to strike her in the face with the mug multiple times, causing a gash above her eye that started bleeding.
The victim managed to return to the bar, and the police were contacted. She received medical attention for a 2cm laceration above her eye and on her eyelid at Bronglais Hospital. Gilmore was later located at a hotel, where he was found to be intoxicated and aggressive and in possession of cannabis. During the investigation, Gilmore admitted to the assault, stating he was angry and lashed out.
In court, the victim shared the impact of the attack, revealing how it had left her questioning if she was targeted because she was transgender, shattered her self-confidence, and led to panic attacks, feeling like she was trapped in a nightmare. The judge condemned Gilmore’s actions, describing how he had hidden himself outside the bar like a thief before launching the unprovoked attack on the DJ.
Despite Gilmore having no prior convictions, he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage. In a surprising turn of events, the judge imposed a suspended sentence of six months in prison, along with a rehabilitation course, 180 hours of unpaid work, and a compensation order of £1,740 to the victim. The judge acknowledged that Gilmore supported five children and felt it was an exceptional circumstance to not send him straight to prison.
This harrowing incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers individuals in the nightlife industry can face and highlights the importance of taking measures to ensure their safety and security while carrying out their work.