Leigh Brookfield, a 40-year-old DJ from Llanelli, has been sentenced to 14 weeks in jail after admitting to assaulting cancer patient Peter Barton at the Llanelli Tennis and Squash Club on December 26 last year. The incident involved Brookfield urinating on the back of Mr. Barton’s trousers, an act he later posted on Snapchat.
Llanelli Magistrates’ Court heard that the DJ, residing at Dan Y Lan in Llanelli, committed the assault when both men were at the urinals of the club. Mr. Barton had shared details of his cancer diagnosis with Brookfield before becoming a victim of the offensive act.
In a victim’s personal statement read in court, Mr. Barton expressed his shock and distress upon discovering the video online. “I couldn’t believe someone would do that to another person. I was breathless, and my blood pressure was through the roof. I just feel that his actions were disgusting,” he stated.
Brookfield’s representative, Robert Thomas, acknowledged the severity of the incident, describing his client as “extremely embarrassed, ashamed, and very sorry about what he has done.” Thomas informed the court that Brookfield had ceased drinking and taking drugs, viewing the incident as a “wake-up call.”
District Judge Mark Layton, while sentencing Brookfield, stressed the severity of assaulting a vulnerable victim who was unaware of the act at the time. The judge imposed a 14-week prison sentence, with Brookfield set to serve half before release. Additionally, Brookfield was ordered to pay £500 compensation, a £154 surcharge, and £85 in costs.
The Llanelli Tennis and Squash Club, in response to the incident, posted a statement on Facebook, expressing its dismay at being associated with Brookfield’s actions. The club described Mr Barton as a “valued member” and banned Brookfield for life, affirming its commitment to being a family-friendly establishment.
