A drunken and rowdy 63 year-old businessman, who slashed a young barman’s throat after he and a pal were ejected from a North London pub, has been jailed for eight years.
Electrical contractor John Anthony Tunbridge (pictured) of Amwell Street, Clerkenwell attacked the 22 year-old inside the Junction pub, Corsica Street, Highbury on April 1, last year.
He pleaded guilty at Blackfriars Crown Court to wounding the victim, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and was also ordered to pay £3,000 compensation.
Tunbridge and a friend had been drinking at the pub, but staff refused to continue serving the pair due to their drunken behaviour.
They became abusive and were asked to leave but refused.
The victim helped to eject them, but moments later Tunbridge re-entered the pub and lashed out at him with an unknown weapon.
The victim later told police he thought he had been punched, but had actually been slashed with a knife across the throat.
Officers who arrived at the scene gave him first aid until an ambulance arrived and he was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
After an extensive police hunt, detectives identified and arrested Tunbridge on June 3.
He initially denied the allegation, but pleaded guilty just before the trial was due to begin.
Detective Constable Jolene Strangwood said: “This was an appalling crime carried out by an established and well known local businessman.
“The vicious and unprovoked assault has had a devastating effect on a young man who was just doing his job.
“Doctors said the victim was lucky to be alive as the injury caused was only millimetres away from having a dramatically different outcome.
“Tunbridge's sentence should serve as a stark warning to the devastating consequences of alcohol abuse and will impact greatly on both his family and businesses.
“I sincerely hope that this sentencing will give the victim some form of closure and allow him to move on with his life.”
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