Athlete is spared tag for affray

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An athlete who runs 120 miles a week has been spared an electronic tag after his barrister argued it would make running difficult.

Jordan Evans, 25, from Bethel, Gwynedd, had pleaded guilty at Caernarfon Crown Court to affray at a bar in Bangor, where a woman was injured.

He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, and was banned from the Bangor nightspot for six months.

He was also given a curfew and ordered to pay the victim £300 compensation.

The court heard the incident took place at Rascals Bar in Bangor last November.

'Recklessness'

There had been a struggle when he was refused a drink after licensing hours had ended.

An off-duty member of staff, Catherine Davies, sustained a black eye and two damaged teeth, one of which she later lost.

Evans' basis of plea had been that a flailing arm had been responsible and what had happened was due to recklessness.

His barrister said having a tag fitted would make it "extremely difficult" for Evans to continue to run, and a tag would also be "extremely embarrassing".

He was involved in training and competitions, and athletics was "the love of his life".

As well as the community order the Evans, an apprentice plasterer, was placed on a 10pm to 6am curfew for three months.

He will also have to pay £200 costs.

The judge said he was not going to impose electronic monitoring because of the other activities in his life and the difficulties that would cause.