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A drunken pool player, who attacked a man in a pub because he was “the smallest person there” is today starting a six-year jail sentence.

Robert Henry took “nine swipes” at his victim James Swainbank, several of which missed but others broke his arm and the final blow struck him on the back of the head leaving him in such pain he collapsed.

Sentencing heavy-set Henry, the judge, Recorder Andrew Jefferies, QC, described him as behaving like “a bully.”

He told the 33-year-old, “This took place in a public house where people don’t want to witness or be confronted by incidents like this.”

The judge, who watched CCTV footage of the incident, said he accepted Henry had been under the influence of alcohol and the incident had not been premeditated.

Henry, of Webb Close, Edge Hill, had been due to stand trial but at the last minute he changed his plea to guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Kim Egerton, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that on October 22 last year Mr Swainbank met up with some friends from Ireland in Liverpool and they spent the day drinking.

The next day he was in the Beech Mount Hotel in Beech Street, Fairfield, with them drinking and while he was in the pool room at about 5pm Henry, who was clearly very drunk, came in with his friend and was playing pool.

He appeared “to be trying to get some reaction from Mr Swainbank” by his words and actions, she said, and Mr Swainbank believes it was because he was the smallest person there.

Eventually he told Henry, “If you don’t shut up I’ll punch you.” There was then a scuffle between the two men which was broken up by their friends but Henry went round the other side of the table and flipped the pool cue around so he was holding the thin end.

He then began chasing the victim round the table with it swiping blows at him with the final blow landing on the back of his head as he escaped from the room and the cue broke in two.

The police were called and after an ambulance had not turned up after half an hour, officers drove the victim to hospital where it was found he had fractures to his left arm.

He underwent surgery to have a plate fitted and has to keep returning to check that the bone has knitted before the plate can be removed, Miss Egerton told the court.

Henry, who declined to comment when arrested and interviewed, has previous convictions for criminal damage and fraud.

Paul Wood, defending, said, “His behaviour is recognised by him as being disgraceful and [something] for which he is sorry. He knows he should not have conducted himself in such a manner.

“All parties had been drinking for quite a considerable time.”