A man glassed a drag queen in a gay bar after being told he was not allowed to sing karaoke.
David Welton, who goes by the stage name Misty Lee, was left permanently scarred after being attacked by Peter Couzens in Poison Ivy, St James’s Street, Kemp Town, Brighton.
Mr Welton – dressed as Misty at the time – was on stage when Couzens asked if he could have a go at singing karaoke at 11.10pm on April 21 this year.
Mr Welton told the 41-year-old there were no slots left available to sing.
In response Couzens threw his drink over him before hurling the glass, which smashed. Mr Welton’s lip was sliced open, needing six stitches.
Vicious In a victim impact statement read out in court the attack was described as being “vicious and unprovoked”.
Mr Welton said he was “scared to go back to his job” and had to take time off to recover.
Alexia Power, prosecuting at Lewes Crown Court yesterday, said security staff hauled Couzens out of the bar and he was arrested.
She said in interviews with police Couzens cried and said he “felt like an animal” after seeing pictures of the injuries, although he could not remember what he had done.
She said Couzens had nine convictions for 17 offences including one of wounding.
In 2007 he received a six-month suspended jail sentence for actual bodily harm after pushing a woman off a stool at gay bar, Legends, in Brighton.
Lucinda Dore, defending, said Couzens knew it was a “very serious offence” but added a psychiatric report suggested he had mental health problems.
She added: “He [Couzens] is on a huge amount of medication.
“The court psychiatry nurse commented she had never seen someone on that level of medication.”
Judge Charles Kemp said: “It’s a horrible glassing in a nightclub.
“Ordinarily there would be an immediate custodial sentence.”
He adjourned the case to the same court until October 3 so the probation service could read psychiatric reports.
Couzens, who admitted ABH, was released on bail with the condition that he does not enter Poison Ivy.
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