La folie du sommeil...

Saturday 04 July 2020

A club-goer who had fallen asleep assaulted a doorman who startled him when he woke him up and tried to send him home.

Carl Gauvain, 29, was on a night out on 7 February this year when he went to Les Folies D'Amour nightclub on the North Plantation.

His defence lawyer told the Magistrate's Court that he had wanted to go home, but his friends persuaded him to join them at the nightclub, which he did - but he fell asleep.

A doorman found him and tried to wake him up. Gauvain swore at the doorman and then resisted attempts to move him.

Three members of staff were needed to escort him out of the nightclub, one of whom Gauvain headbutted as he was being taken down a flight of stairs. When he was taken outside, police officers were also involved in attempts to restrain him. 

Pictured: Les Folies D'Amour nightclub is in St Peter Port. 

Gauvain's defence lawyer told the Magistrate that the headbutt had been unintentional and had happened while the defendant felt threatened as he was being forced down the flight of stairs by the group of doormen.

Gauvain had previously admitted his guilt but had said it wasn't a premeditated assault, and that his behaviour was as a result of drinking too much alcohol and then being startled when he was woken up inside the nightclub.

Judge Gary Perry told Gauvain that when he drinks alcohol he commits offences, and "only you can stop that happening".

Judge Perry gave Gauvain a three month prison sentence, suspended for 18-months, as well as a nine month supervision order through the Probation Services.

Gauvain was also ordered to pay £50 compensation to the doorman he had headbutted.

Pictured top: Guernsey's Magistrate Court sentenced Gauvain on Thursday.