Men jumped on Park End Street after brawl at Thirst nightclub

Fatjon Doda, 29, and friend Donis Paci, who remains at large, jumped their two victims as they walked past where they were waiting by Pacey’s Bridge on Park End Street, Oxford.

The attackers had minutes earlier been thrown out of Thirst nightclub after a brawl broke out when comments were made to a woman.

The police were on the scene within seconds of the attack being launched. But they were not quick enough to prevent the two men from inflicting serious injuries, Oxford Crown Court heard.

The men left Thirst nightclub then lay in wait near Pacey's Bridge, to the right of this picture

One of the victims, who was attacked by Doda, suffered cuts to his head. The other man was left with a broken jaw that had to be fixed on the operating table.

Albanian national Doda had been due to stand trial for wounding with intent. But when two witnesses – including one victim – failed to turn up for the trial in March, the prosecution accepted lesser charges of causing grievous bodily harm. The co-defendant, Paci, remains at large.

Sentencing him on Thursday, Judge Ian Pringle QC said: “In the early hours of August 13, 2018, a dispute broke out in a nightclub on [Park End Street]. Sadly it’s not the first time I’ve used that phrase.

“You and your friend were ejected from that nightclub but instead of heading on home you and your friend clearly were waiting for the people with whom you had a dispute to come out the club themselves.

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“We could see from the CCTV that you and your friend were, as I say, clearly waiting for them.

“It was an unwanted and vicious attack, even though it was short-lived.”

However, Judge Pringle suspended the 12 month prison sentence for two years, noting that Doda had no previous convictions, had stayed out of trouble in the three-and-a-half years since the offence was committed and he had found the delay in the case coming to court particularly difficult.

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Doda, of Sandy Lane, Oxford, was ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work and up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

The court heard he had come to the UK to work, sending money back home to Albania. He had worked his way up to be a quality inspector for Mclaren and a 3D printing company, but in part due to the stress of the court case had lost the jobs. He now worked as a delivery driver.

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