Woolacombe surfer scarred for life by glassing

By pharper

THE mother of a young surfer who was attacked with a glass in Woolacombe's Marisco nightclub has spoken of the impact it had on her son.

Woolacombe surfer Stuart Campbell was left scarred for life after the incident in May last year.

The attacker, Toby Covill, 19, appeared at Plymouth Crown Court last Monday and pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding.

Covill, from Ilfracombe, was given a four-month prison sentence suspended for one year and was ordered to undertake 200 hours community service and pay £1,500 in compensation to his victim.

Stuart is a well known surfer in North Devon who has been a British under-18 champion.

At the time he was partying with friends in the nightclub and had celebrated his 18th birthday just two days beforehand.

His mother, Sheila Campbell, said: "He was left scarred for life.

"He was slashed right across his cheek, luckily missing his eye but leaving a very nasty cut.

"Stuart had dressed up as a ninja turtle and the sight of him in green and covered in all this blood was just horrendous."

Mrs Campbell has released pictures to the Journal of Stuart in hospital after they attack.

"They are horrible, terrible images, which I hope may deter people from drinking and doing something like this."

She also feels that glass bottles should now be banned from the nightspot in Woolacombe.

Stuart was taking three A-levels at Petroc and his grades suffered following the incident.

The injuries he sustained also prevented him from starting a life-saving course.

"It did have a dramatic effect on him," said Mrs Campbell.

"He wouldn't head into the village. He didn't want to go out unless his friends came and picked him up. He certainly didn't want to come face-to-face again with Toby who he had surfed with.

"That night was one of the first major times he had been out. He also became very shy about being photographed."

Mrs Campbell, a technology teacher at Braunton School, said her son is now beginning to recover.

Stuart, who is sponsored by O'Neill, is currently training in Bali and Australia, and is tipped to compete on the European stage.

He managed to pass three A-levels in graphic design, media and sports science and is also considering studying graphics at university.

Stuart's dad is Tom and he has a brother Jack, 17, and a sister Lucy, 14, who is also a successful young surfer.