Brighton: Trial of drag queen glassed in gay bar adjourned
The case of a drag queen who was glassed in a Brighton gay bar has been adjourned until early next month.
David Welton, who goes by the stage name Misty Lee, was left permanently scarred after being attacked by Peter Couzens, 41, in Poison Ivy on St James’s Street in April this year.
The Argus reports Mr Welton – dressed as Misty at the time – was on stage when Couzens asked if he could sing karaoke.
Mr Welton told Couzens there were no slots left available to sing.
Lewes Crown Court heard the 41-year-old responded by throwing his drink over Mr Welton before hurling the glass, which smashed. Mr Welton’s lip was sliced open, needing six stitches.
In a victim impact statement read out in court the attack was described as “vicious and unprovoked”.
Alexia Power, prosecuting, said in interviews with police Couzens cried and said he “felt like an animal” after seeing pictures of the injuries, although he could not remember what he had done.
She said Couzens had nine convictions for 17 offences including one of wounding.
In 2007 he received a six-month suspended jail sentence for actual bodily harm after pushing a woman off a stool at Legends – another gay bar in Brighton.
Lucinda Dore, defending, said Couzens knew it was a “very serious offence” but added a psychiatric report suggested he had mental health problems.
“It’s a horrible glassing in a nightclub”, Judge Charles Kemp said. “Ordinarily there would be an immediate custodial sentence.”
But he adjourned the case to the same court until 3 October so the probation service could read psychiatric reports.
Couzens, who admitted ABH, was released on bail with the condition that he does not enter Poison Ivy.
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