Man who attacked cousin at Woking wedding has sentence increased

A man who glassed his cousin at a wedding in Woking will be jailed for longer following the intervention of the Solicitor General, Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP.

William Jones, aged 25 at the time of the offence, was at his sister’s wedding at an hotel in Woking on 12 October 2018. His cousin Benjamin Joyce, then 31, was also at the event and at around 8pm had decided to return home.

While Mr Joyce waited for a lift home at the front of the hotel, he became concerned about Jones who was drunk and shouting loudly. Mr Joyce walked Jones away from the other guests, in order to avoid embarrassment.

As the two men rounded the corner of the hotel, Jones struck Mr Joyce on the head with a glass. The glass smashed and cut the back of the victim’s neck, causing significant bleeding. Other guests intervened and Jones left the scene.

The victim was airlifted to hospital and received 14 stitches to close the wound. Jones was arrested and charged the day after the attack.

On 24 January, Jones was originally sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment for wounding with intent at Guildford Crown Court.

Following the Solicitor General’s intervention under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, the Court of Appeal today increased his sentence to 6 years’ imprisonment.

Commenting on the increase, the Solicitor General said:

This was a callous and shockingly violent attack, taking place at a family event and in the presence of children. I am pleased that the Court of Appeal has agreed that his sentence should be increased.