Deane's chef cleared of intentionally wounding colleague on staff night out

It took a jury of eight men and four woman less than an hour to return a unanimously ‘not guilty’ verdict against 33-year-old Peter Cole.

Father-of -two Cole, from Knockleigh Park in Greenisland, was acquitted of wounding his colleague with the intention of causing him grievous bodily harm.

He did, however, admit to a lesser charge of wounding his colleague, who was left “effectively blind” in one eye after being struck in the face with a pint glass.

During a two-day trial held at Belfast Crown Court, the jury was shown CCTV footage of the incident, which occurred on the evening of January 10 last year.

Staff from Deane’s Deli were out for a post-Christmas party. The complainant – who at the time of the incident worked front of house in the same eatery where Cole was head chef – was struck in the face with a glass wielded by Cole.

Cole maintained he was provoked, and that he never intentionally intended to cause the other man serious harm – rather he meant to throw his drink over him for insulting his mother.

He will be sentenced next month for the wounding charge.