A Croydon man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after a violent bar attack.
Stephen Jelley, 51,of Brighton Road was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on November 20 after he attacked a 39-year-old man in June.
At around 10pm on June 1 Jelley walked into a bar in Brighton Road and, armed with two knives, proceeded to attack a man who had been reading the paper at the bar.
The attack was followed by a scuffle, during which the victim tried to escape and a member of staff from the bar hit Jelley on the head with a glass collection basket in order to stop him, causing Jelley to fall to the ground.
However Jelley got up again and tried to assault the victim until other members of the public intervened and Jelley decided to leave the scene.
The victim sustained a deep laceration to his neck and managed to run away from the pub, raising the alarm and calling police.
Jelley was arrested on Monday 2 June at midday where he was found drinking in a pub in Croydon town centre.
Detectives were able to show Jelley clear CCTV of his attack and he was subsequently charged with attempted murder and remanded in custody.
Jelley’s first appearance at Croydon Magistrate’s Court was on 17 June.
Although Jelley was initially charged with attempted murder, he pleaded guilty to GBH and was convicted on October 23.
DC Stephen Hall said: “Jelley had carefully planned to attend the pub with two knives and attack a man who, he felt, had mistreated him.
“Whilst the victim was prompt to escape some of Jelley’s attempts to stab him, he still suffered a terrifying attack.
“The sentence Jelley has received clearly highlights the seriousness of his offence.”
