A golf club greenkeeper who taunted a man about his 'Pirates of the Carribean' style bandana before repeatedly punching him in the face, in a Haslemere pub, walked free from court last Friday. Craig Mills, 25, unleashed a string of blows on the victim after the two men exchanged insults in The Swan Inn. The drunk groundsman – who works at Blackmoor Golf Club, near Bordon – lashed out when the man responded by making fun of his ears. It led to Mills, of Parson's Green, High Lane, Haslemere, being sentenced at Guildford Crown Court to nine months imprisonment suspended for 18 months with 200 hours unpaid work, after pleading guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm. He was also ordered to pay £250 compensation and £235 costs. Wendy Cottee, prosecuting, told the court that Mills attacked the victim in The Swan on June 8, last year. She said: "The victim was drinking in the pub and was approached by the defendant who made some remark about his bandana, saying: "Look at him, it's Pirates of the Carribean". "The victim responded by making some remark about the defendant's ears. After that the defendant punched the victim several times in the face with no other provocation whatsoever." Mills left the victim with a permanent scar on his lip which was numb for two months after the attack. Miss Cottee added: "The defendant was traced because someone in the pub knew him." Mills told officers in a police interview that the victim had been constantly smirking at him in the pub, and when he asked him "what his problem was?" he stuck two fingers up at him and spat in his face. The court heard that Mr Mills, a father-of-one, had previously been cautioned twice by police for violent offences. But David Harounoff, defending, described the attack as "totally out of character, matters got out of hand, and he fully accepts he punched the victim and should never have done so. He is bitterly ashamed and embarrassed about his conduct." He said: "He blames the fact he had drunk far too much that evening, and states if he had not drunk so much none of this would have happened." Judge Derek Inman told Mills: "There may or may not have been some sort of provocation, it provides no excuse for this sort of behaviour. "It is, I regret, all too typical of such offences. Instead of leaving it well alone, people like you take the law into your own hands and violence follows. "You have a good job, you are well thought of in the community, and you contribute to it in many useful ways. It is a pity you place that in jeopardy. "It is a serious matter and only a custodial sentence is justified in my view, but I shall suspend it in the hope this will be the last time you come before the courts."
