Man kicked in head outside Mojos bar Newport in nasty attack

Victim Jordan Harper was backing away after initially approaching father of two young girls Tyler Hill on a night out in Newport.

However, this didn’t stop Hill, 27, who brutally attacked Mr Harper in front of stunned onlookers stood outside city nightlife hot spot Mojos Retro Bar in Cambrian Road.

Hill repeatedly punched his victim then, when Mr Harper had fallen to the ground, grabbed a handful of his jacket and kicked him in the head, knocking him unconscious.

Mr Harper would suffer injuries to his spine and eye socket after the attack.

What Mr Harper didn’t know when he approached Hill at the time was that he was was “spiralling mentally” as his life came off the rails.

Hill had recently come out of a long-term relationship and hadn’t seen his two daughters, aged four and eight at the time, for nine months.

The attack happened outside of Mojos Retro Bar Newport (Image: Google Maps)

Hill kicked his victim in the head when he was down (Image: Gwent Police)

However, this didn’t wash with Judge Recorder D Warner who described the assault as “particularly nasty”.

Even Hill’s mitigation team admitted their client needed to “grow up”, but they said he was taking steps to do so, including having a job offer and re-engaging with his ex-partner and his children.

That job offer will have to go on ice though as Hill was sentenced to 14 months in prison at Cardiff Crown Court on February 15.

Hill, of Merchant Court, East Dock Road, Newport, was also found to have cocaine on him at the time of the assault.

To make matters worse for Hill, he was four months into a suspended prison sentence order at the time of 18 weeks suspended for 12 months.

The attack by Hill on Mr Harper took place on July 9 last year at around 3.20am and Hill pleaded guilty at magistrates court in January.

He has six previous convictions for two offences – mostly drug-related.

On sentencing Recorder D Warner said: “I accept Harper approached you, but whatever took place between you, he backed off. You proceeded to punch him repeatedly. That in itself was bad enough, but when he tried to defend himself, you grabbed a handful of his coat and kicked him in the head.”

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For assault occasioning actual bodily harm, Hill was sentenced to 14 months in prison.

For being in possession of cocaine, Hill got two weeks inside to run concurrent.

He’ll pay £200 compensation to Mr Harper and £420 in court costs.

The drugs were ordered to be destroyed.