Welsh Darth Vader dodges jail

'The drink is strong in this one'

By John Oates • Get more from this author

Posted in Bootnotes, 13th May 2008 13:59 GMT

Free whitepaper – Systems management simplified

A Welsh man, Arwel Wynn Hughes, from Holyhead has avoided jail for attacking two would-be Jedis with a crutch while disguised as Darth Vader.

Hughes, whose attack was captured on video, was sentenced to two months in prison suspended for 12 months.

Two keen Welsh Jedis were filming themselves having a pretend light sabre fight in their garden. Hughes leapt over a low garden wall with a binbag round his shoulders while wielding a crutch and shouting "Darth Vader".

After hitting the two, both members of Holyhead's Jedi Church, Hughes departed over the garden wall saying: "I'm only joking..."

The two Jedis complained of a headache and a bruised thigh after the incident. We wonder about the Jedi credentials of these two if they were defeated by a drunk bloke armed with a crutch.

The court heard Hughes had no memory of the incident since he had drunk most of a ten-litre box of wine. He only realised what had happened when he read about it in the local paper. When arrested he admitted being extremely drunk at the time.

Hughes admitted two charges of common assault. He will undergo treatment for his drink problem and must pay the two Jedis £100 each and £60 costs.

The Beeb has footage of the attack here.

Free whitepaper – Dell PowerEdge server benchmarks