I Know The Sort Of 'Out-Of-Body Experience' He Needs

David Dowler, 23, launched the "truly shocking" assault after his victims looked at him when he drove at speed into a North Somerset pub car park.

He got out of his vehicle at the Full Quart pub in Hewish and attacked the pub's manager Lee Thorne, his wife Helen and his mother Angela.

After attacking his victims in a prolonged and unprovoked assault, he collected an iron bar from his car and smashed the front and back windscreens of Mr Thorne's car.

Amazingly enough, in a verdict that will give you no faith in our jury system, he was acquitted of GBH!

Dowler, of no fixed abode, admitted causing grievous bodily harm to Mrs Thorne, actual bodily harm to Mr Thorne and causing criminal damage. He was acquitted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Thorne following a trial.

Does he have previous? Well, of course!

...Dowler had 14 convictions for 36 previous offences over the last eight years, including battery, a road rage assault, actual bodily harm, possessing a knife and smashing up a car with a baseball bat while people were inside the vehicle.

He got 18 months for the latest attack.

Bernard O'Brien, mitigating, said his client had "severe" trouble controlling his temper. He said he had been examined by a psychiatrist and that the probation service believed he had "turned a corner" and was making plans for the future.

Making plans to go back inside, clearly!

During the trial, Dowler admitted he had been unable to fully control his body during the attack and had suffered "a sort of out-of-body experience".

I think society would be a lot better if we accommodated him in that. Permanently!