A drunken man who punched a woman in the face at a wedding reception in Kensington, breaking her nose and causing other injuries, has been fined nearly £10,000 and given a suspended prison sentence.
It is thought Neil Abbott was aiming for a man standing nearby his victim when he inadvertently sent her to the floor with the blow, police have said.
It happened on May 25 last year, at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington High Street, and led to more wedding reception fisticuffs.
Abbott had already angered other guests during the evening, who had felt he was acting inappropriately towards some women on the dancefloor.
When the guests went outside for a cigarette, at around 10pm, they spotted Abbott, who was with two friends, and told him his behaviour was inappropriate at a family wedding.
A friend of Abbott’s apologised and said the defendant was drunk, but as the guests turned and walked away, the 41-year-old threw a punch.
Police believe it was aimed at towards one of the men in the group, but an inebriated Abbott instead landed his blow on the 39-year-old victim.
It sparked a further scuffle between guests, which eventually saw Abbott, from Erickson Gardens, Bromley, led away by friends.
However, police were flagged down and Abbott was arrested for GBH and taken to Notting Hill police station.
The woman was taken to hospital and treated for injuries which included a broken nose, other broken facial bones and two chipped teeth.
Abbott was charged with GBH on July 29, before pleading guilty to the offence and being sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on May 15.
He told officers he could not remember the moment leading up to the attack, and was deeply sorry for his actions.
In a statement, police said he was handed an 18-month suspended sentence, told to pay £9,798.45 compensation and ordered to pay £950 costs.
Detective Constable Dave Smith, from Kensington & Chelsea CID, said: “The suspect threw a punch, which appeared to have been aimed at a man who had verbally confronted him. This man moved out the way and the punch landed on the woman’s face.
“The victim was left with some nasty injuries as a result of Abbott’s drunken actions.”
