Man suffers serious assault after spilling drink in bar

A man elbowed a stranger in the face, breaking his nose and four teeth, because he didn’t clean up a spilt drink.

Arturas Kulberkis was drinking with a group of men at the Cromwell's Bar, in Huntingdon High Street, on March 23, 2018, when the victim, a man in his 20s, sat down at his table.

About 10 minutes after joining the group, the victim, who was not known to Kulberkis, accidently spilt his beer. He was told by another man to clean it up, as it had gone over the table, but the victim said he needed to clean himself up first.

In response, Kulberkis, 30, elbowed him in the face, breaking his nose and four of his teeth. The victim immediately left and took a taxi home. Two days later, after having his injuries treated in hospital, he reported the assault to police.

In police interview Kulberkis, of Thongsley, Huntingdon, said he had been scared and thought the victim was going to attack him.

However, at Peterborough Crown Court on October 14, he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 26 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

In addition he was told to pay £1,900 compensation.

Sergeant Richard Diggle said: "Despite saying in interview he wasn't a fighter, Kulberkis clearly had no issue engaging in unnecessary violence in a public place. "The victim, who was on a night out just hours before his birthday, had shown no sign of wanting to cause a fight and must have been shaken by Kulberkis's unpredictable and violent behaviour."