Father smashed wine bottle over diner's head for complaining that his baby would not stop crying

Billy West was jailed for two years and five months

Victim Clive Merrifield was left with a four-inch scar



While trying to enjoy a romantic dinner date, Clive Merrifield and his companion had spent half an hour disturbed by a crying baby at the next table.



The company director suggested to the child’s parents that given it was after 10pm, the seven-month-old might be tired.



The baby’s father’s reaction was to pull a bottle of wine from Mr Merrifield’s ice bucket and smash it over his head.



Billy West (left) with torn shirt pictured shortly after his arrest. He has been jailed for two years and five months for the bottle attack on Clive Merrifield (right), who was left with a four-inch gash on his scalp



Mr Merrifield, 44, who was having a meal at an Indian restaurant in Islington, North London with his girlfriend was left with a deep four-inch gash on his scalp which required 16 stitches and has left him scarred.



The baby’s father, Billy West, was jailed for two years and five months at Blackfriars Crown Court for what the judge called a ‘vicious and cowardly’ attack.



West, 20, who arrived at the restaurant with his partner, their baby and another man, took offence at Mr Merrifield’s comments, the court heard, and asked him to settle the matter ‘outside’.



To the surprise of other diners, the child’s mother held the infant up and sneered sarcastically: ‘It’s a baby’. The family were escorted out of the Parveen Tandoori by staff but West returned alone five minutes later to attack Mr Merrifield.

The brutal assault occurred at Parveen, an Indian restaurant in Theberton Street, Islington, north London

Yesterday the former police constable, who runs his own auditing business, said: ‘The child had been crying and crying at the next table, it was constant. The mother kept getting up to hold it up to the mirror behind us, but it wouldn’t stop.

‘It was very loud – other people noticed but they didn’t say anything, and after about half an hour I just said to my girlfriend: “I’ve had enough”.



'I went over and said very politely that I was sorry but this is a quiet restaurant and we’re trying to enjoy our meal and your baby won’t stop crying. I asked if they could take it outside for a bit, and said it might be tired at this time of night.

‘She just held it up and started shaking it and saying “It’s a baby”. They asked me if I had a problem with children, which I don’t, and the two men told me we could “sort this out outside”.

‘The staff asked them to leave and we carried on eating. The next thing I knew I had been whacked on the back of the head. He had hit me with my bottle of wine.

‘I just remember seeing my girlfriend’s face, looking really worried, and the blood and glass on her top. I got up but he had gone, and I looked down and saw my shirt soaked in blood.’

West was arrested six weeks after the attack in November last year after police found him hiding in a neighbour’s home.

Clive Merrifield's injury required 16 stitches and has left him scarred

Tom Wainwright, defending West, said the carpenter had ‘just snapped’ and had written a letter of apology to his victim.



Passing sentence, Judge Nicholas Riddell said: ‘This was a vicious and cowardly attack.’

The victim was taken to hospital where he was given an emergency X-ray and 16 stitches.

His attacker was eventually arrested on November 17, after being found hiding under a heap of clothes, behind a mirror, in a neighbour’s bedroom.

In an impact statement the victim said: ‘I have been left with a four inch ragged scar on the top of my head.

‘It makes me feel self-conscious in public and at work.



‘I feel it has changed people’s opinion of me and I am concerned I am seen as a thuggish manager rather than an authoritative manager.

‘I am self-employed and this affects me when taking out prospective clients.

‘Since leaving the Army I have tried to avoid violent situations or confrontations and this incident has taken me back to those times, and destroyed the coping mechanisms I have spent years developing.’

The court heard West has previous convictions for assault, after spraying someone with CS gas, and was on a suspended sentence for aggravated vehicle taking when he attacked Mr Merrifield.

Tom Wainwright, defending West, argued the carpenter had a more productive side to his personality.

‘He was working hard at the time and he had a young child, who had been crying and not been sleeping, and he was extremely tired and stressed,’ said the barrister.

‘He does not seek to excuse his behaviour but highlights this simply to provide some background.

‘He just snapped. This was the last straw.

‘He is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour and has written a letter of apology to the victim.’

The court heard he has helped out at a local youth club and is keen to rejoin his partner and child.

He has already served 218 days on remand awaiting sentence and Mr Wainwright added: ‘Not much more of a reminder is required.’

Passing sentence Judge Nicholas Riddell said: ‘You caused this unfortunate man a serious head wound which has left him with serious permanent scarring and lasting psychological effects.

‘Your counsel has rightly said there is another side to you.

‘Nonetheless this remains an offence that is so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.’