Mr Merrifield, 44, who was having a meal at an Indian restaurant in Islington, North London with his girlfriend was left with a deep four-inch gash on his scalp which required 16 stitches and has left him scarred. Hit the jump to read the rest of the story.
While trying to enjoy a romantic dinner date, Clive Merrifield and his companion had spent half an hour disturbed by a crying baby at the next table. The company director suggested to the child’s parents that given it was after 10pm, the seven-month-old might be tired. The baby’s father’s reaction was to pull a bottle of wine from Mr Merrifield’s ice bucket and smash it over his head. Mr Merrifield, 44, who was having a meal at an Indian restaurant in Islington, North London with his girlfriend was left with a deep four-inch gash on his scalp which required 16 stitches and has left him scarred. The baby’s father, Billy West, was jailed for two years and five months at Blackfriars Crown Court for what the judge called a ‘vicious and cowardly’ attack. West, 20, who arrived at the restaurant with his partner, their baby and another man, took offence at Mr Merrifield’s comments, the court heard, and asked him to settle the matter ‘outside’. To the surprise of other diners, the child’s mother held the infant up and sneered sarcastically: ‘It’s a baby’. The family were escorted out of the Parveen Tandoori by staff but West returned alone five minutes later to attack Mr Merrifield.
