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Sacked presenter to be sentenced TV presenter jailed for two years
(about 8 hours later)
A BBC television presenter who hit a teenager with a wooden pole in a fight outside a West Midlands bar is to be sentenced later. A former BBC television presenter who hit a teenager with a wooden pole in a fight outside a West Midlands bar has been jailed for two years.
Ashley Blake was warned he could be jailed after his convictions for wounding and intending to pervert the course of justice. Ashley Blake was found guilty of wounding Greg Jones, 17, and intending to pervert the course of justice.
Blake, 40, who presented Midlands Today, was sacked following his conviction at Birmingham Crown Court.Blake, 40, who presented Midlands Today, was sacked following his conviction at Birmingham Crown Court.
A second man who admitted assault will also be sentenced. He had denied the attack outside The Place 2B restaurant in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham.
Blake had denied the attack outside The Place 2B in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. Jurors heard he swung a patio umbrella pole above his head, hitting the teenager in the face.
The court heard 17-year-old Greg Jones went to the aid of a teenager who had been knocked unconscious when violence flared. Admitted lying
'Absolutely gutted' Greg Jones, who had been attending an 18th birthday party, suffered facial injuries to his lip and chin.
Blake was convicted of striking Mr Jones in the face with a patio umbrella pole causing injuries to his lip and chin. Blake was filmed on CCTV carrying the pole he hit Greg Jones with
In an attempt to conceal it from police he threw the pole into a neighbouring garden centre but CCTV footage played to the court showed him fetching it from behind the bar. The court heard he had gone to the aid of a teenager who had been knocked unconscious when violence flared.
Blake said he used the pole as a bat to deflect missiles being thrown at him but later admitted lying to detectives saying he had been in a state of shock following the incident. Blake then tried to hide the pole by throwing it into a neighbouring garden centre.
Following the verdict Blake, who also presented Inside Out, told reporters he felt "absolutely gutted". He initially denied having the pole but later admitted lying to detectives after being shown CCTV footage of him fetching it from behind the bar.
Steven Sproule, 38, of Great Barr, Birmingham, admitted punching 17-year-old Adam Finn and knocking him unconscious. He said he had used the pole as a bat to deflect missiles being thrown at him.
He will be sentenced after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Blake, who also presented Inside Out, told reporters he felt "absolutely gutted" after his conviction last month.