Aspiring female pilot, 20, who left ex-soldier needing stitches after throwing a glass at his head in New Year’s Day attack is spared jail after telling court her weapon ‘slipped out of her hand because it was wet’
- Leyla Binns, 20, said she only intended to throw the contents of her glass at him
An aspiring female pilot who left a former soldier covered in blood when she threw a glass at him during a night out has been spared jail.
Leyla Binns, 20, said she had only intended to throw the contents of her glass at Harrison Savage but it slipped out of her hand because it was wet and hit him in the face leaving him needing 11 stitches.
Lincoln Crown Court heard she had acted out of ‘misplaced loyalty’ to a friend, who had been in a relationship with Mr Savage when she attacked him in the cathedral city on a New Year’s Eve night out.
Judge Simon Hirst told her: ‘The way you behaved that night is much of the reason why decent people don’t want to go out in this city at night.’
She was handed a suspended sentence after admitting unlawfully wounding – leaving her free to take up a job at East Midlands Airport next week, the court was told.
Leyla Binns, 20, said she had only intended to throw the contents of her glass at Harrison Savage but it slipped out of her hand because it was wet
Binns, who describes herself online as an ‘aspiring commercial airline pilot’ was a pupil at the UK’s first air and space training institute in Newark, Nottinghamshire
Binns, who describes herself online as an ‘aspiring commercial airline pilot’ was a pupil at the UK’s first air and space training institute in Newark, Nottinghamshire. and featured regularly in articles promoting the course.
It aims to help aspiring pilots and engineers secure a pathway into the RAF and airspace industry, and boasts a £35,000 flight simulator.
She was on a night out with Mr Savage’s ex girlfriend, Emily Barker, when she attacked him in the early hours of New Year’s Day, 2022.
The court heard Binns decided to intervene after Miss Barker was left crying in the toilets of the Home nightclub following an argument with Mr Savage.
Mr Savage was punched and slapped by Binns who then walked away, the court heard.
Thomas Welshman, prosecuting, told the court: ‘Mr Savage thought that was the end of it’ but his next recollection was ‘being covered in blood and receiving treatment from emergency services’.
One of Mr Savage’s friends saw the glass leaving Binns’ hand from a distance of six feet, the court heard.
‘Suddenly Mr Savage’s face was covered in blood,’ Mr Welshman added.
Binns was handed a suspended sentence after admitting unlawfully wounding – leaving her free to take up a job at East Midlands Airport next week,
The friend described seeing Binns freeze before telling Mr Savage: ‘Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean it, I didn’t mean to hurt you.’
But a police officer who attended the scene noted Binns saying: ‘It is something that was deserved.’
The prosecution accepted Binns only intended to throw the contents of her glass at Mr Savage.
In a victim statement which was read out in court Mr Savage said he felt ‘gutted and saddened’ by the events of the night.
Mr Savage, who said he suffered from PTSD from his time in the Army, said: ‘It is the thought I could have been blinded or even killed that frightens me.’
Jeremy Janes, mitigating, said Binns, of Scunthorpe, had no previous convictions and described her behaviour on the night ‘as totally out of character’.
‘She went to swill Mr Savage,’ Mr Janes said. ‘It was a reckless act with a wet hand.’
Mr Janes said Binns there were a number of references testifying to her character, including one from a care home where she worked, and another from the college course she had just completed.
Mr Janes said: ‘She is clearly from her academic record a young woman who is very intelligent.’
Mr Janes added that Binns was still hoping to fulfil an ambition of flying in the United States.
‘Going out and binge drinking is very out if character for her,’ he added. ‘She has not gone out drinking in the last 18 months. Drinking and flying are simply incompatible.’
Passing sentence on Friday Judge Hirst told Binns: ‘If the glass had been in a different position Mr Savage may well have lost his eye. Judge Hirst said had the throwing of the glass been deliberate then the length of a custodial sentence would have been the only decision.
But Judge Hirst told Binns because of her guilty plea and lack of previous convictions he could suspend her sentence. Binns was sentenced to ten months in a young offenders’ institution, suspended for 12 months.
She must also complete 100 hours of unpaid work in the community and 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Binns was also ordered to pay compensation of £1,500 to Mr Savage and £535 court costs.
Judge Hirst warned Binns: ‘Please don’t come back to court. If you do, you will be going down the stairs.’
Judge Hirst also remarked that Miss Barker, who attended court to support Binns, ‘had not covered herself in glory,’ with a message posted after the glass incident.
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