A TEENAGER has been jailed for a ‘savage blow’ that left a man with a broken jaw.

Rhys Ellard, of Cobham Drive, Weymouth, was convicted of a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Chris O’Mahoney that related to a fight between two groups of males in Weymouth in the early hours of September 11 last year.

His co-defendant Jedd Spicer, 19, also of Cobham Drive, was cleared of the same charge following a trial at Dorchester Crown Court after the jury found him not guilty.

The jury had been told that Ellard, who was celebrating his 18th birthday on the night, and Mr Spicer, both of Cobham Drive, Weymouth, had been involved in a confrontation by the harbourside near Westham Bridge.

Mr O’Mahoney, who was part of the other group, suffered a broken jaw after being punched in the face and later needed an operation to have a metal plate inserted.

Prosecutor Jennie Rickman read a statement from Mr O’Mahoney where he revealed that six months after the attack his jaw was still causing him discomfort.

Ellard admitted striking out at one of the group during the trial but claimed it was because he was fearful for his own safety and denied causing the injuries to Mr O’Mahoney.

Lee Christmas, mitigating, said jury’s verdict suggested they believed it was in fact his client who had caused the injury to Mr O’Mahoney.

He said that the former Budmouth and Weymouth College student Ellard had been planning to go into the Army and added that his only previous offence was a warning when he was 15 for an offence of battery.

Judge Roger Jarvis told the defendant: “It is perfectly obvious you and someone else quite calculatingly set off in pursuit of Mr O’Mahoney and his friends and it is perfectly obvious that when you set off you had violence in your mind.

“It is plain that you were determined to attack him and you did, chasing him and aiming a savage blow at his face.

“The consequence of all is that he has a permanent injury.”

Judge Jarvis sentenced Ellard to 14 months in prison, which he said he hoped would serve as a warning to other young men who go out drinking and commit violent offences in public.

He said: “This sentence is accordingly directed for the attention of others of that age group.”