Thug jailed for violent attacks

Feb 2 2007 By Ron Warrilow, Birmingham Mail

A HEAVY drinker who knocked out two young men and fractured the jaw of a third has been jailed for 15 months.

"It is plain you are a man with a vile temper who is unable to control himself in drink," Judge Frank Chapman told father of three Gareth Pegler.

"You used completely disproportionate violence towards these three men and you hurt them all," he added at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Pegler, 23, of Hurcott Road, Kidderminster, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Christopher Beech.

The court was told that Mr Beech had to have plates inserted into his broken jaw after the attack near the Picture House nightclub, in Stourbridge.

He further admitted assaulting Matt Finney and Brett Mason, causing them actual bodily harm.

Michael Aspinall, defending, said Pegler was not a trained boxer.

"He is cursed - or blessed - by being very strong."

Mr Aspinall added that said Pegler, who hoped to open a tattoo parlour on his release from custody, was a man who struggled to deal with his temper when he had been drinking.