Birthday celebrations ended in smashed jaw after row over cigarette

KAI MITCHELL, FORMERLY OF NORTH TYNESIDE, LEFT A MAN BADLY INJURED WHEN HE CHALLENGED HIM OVER VERBALLY ABUSING HIS GIRLFRIEND FOR REFUSING TO GIVE HIM A CIGARETTE 20:59, 03 Jun 2025

Birthday celebrations ended in a smashed jaw when a row over a cigarette exploded into violence. The victim was out for his birthday in Whitley Bay with his partner and friends when their

night was ruined by Kai Mitchell. Shortly before midnight on May 31 2023, the group were outside the town's Fire Station pub when Mitchell approached and asked the victim's partner

for a cigarette. Rachel Glover, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "She responded by saying she didn't like to share, which others found funny but the defendant took issue

with and he shouted that she was a selfish **** and there was an exchange of words." The woman then left the area to go to look for her lost necklace and her partner approached Mitchell

and told him not to call his partner the offensive name. Miss Glover said: "His next recollection is pain and blood coming from his mouth." One of their friends had seen the two

men arguing and as she turned away, she heard a cracking noise then saw the man on the ground holding his mouth. The woman asked Mitchell if he had punched him and he said "yes because

his girlfriend is a b****". WE HAVE A DEDICATED NEWSLETTER FOR COURT NEWS AND UPDATES. IT’S FREE AND YOU CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE IT HERE. IT WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST

COURT CASES AND SENTENCE UPDATES FROM AROUND THE NORTH EAST. Article continues below The attack was caught on CCTV and shows the victim holding his arms out, as if to keep Mitchell away,

before he was punched, causing him to collapse into a table and leaving him looking dazed and unsteady on his feet. The victim was taken to hospital and was found to have three fractures to

his jaw and needed emergency surgery. He was on a soft food diet for weeks, had to have time off work, couldn't go hiking or running in the Lake District as he liked to, lost weight,

needed dental work and his relationship, which had only just begun, soon ended. Mitchell, 23, formerly of Glendale Road, Shiremoor, now of Kew Kakulyek, Falmouth, Cornwall, pleaded guilty to

inflicting GBH and Judge Robert Adams sentenced him to 12 weeks suspended for 18 months with an alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement. Article continues below CHRONICLELIVE HAS CREATED

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DIRECTLY TO YOUR PHONE. The court heard he didn't intend serious harm and is remorseful. Glenn Gatland, defending, said: "He asked the girlfriend for a cigarette and - I won't

say she was difficult with him - but there seems to have been a falling out. He called her names and the complainant intervened and the defendant punched him once in the face and walked

away. "He has ADHD and could be described as impulsive with his behaviour. He has got a good job as a scaffolder."