Ryan Whelan left man with facial deformity after attack

Ryan Christopher Whelan, 38, struck his victim so hard the man was left with memory loss of the incident and surrounded in his own blood.

Prosecutor Leigh Hart said Johnny Farrar went out for drinks with a group of friends on March 19, 2022, when he entered the same bar as the defendant.

The group played pool in Cameron’s Bar, leaving their coats in the room, before moving to the dance floor.

At around 2am, Mr Farrar and a friend returned to retrieve their belongings, where he found Whelan and his partner.

“The next thing Mr Farrar remembers is leaning forward and seeing a pool of blood in his hands,” said Ms Hart.

“No memory of the attack or who struck him.”

His friend said he approached the coats when the defendant’s partner argued the belongings were theirs.

Whilst the friend was engaging with the defendant’s partner, Whelan appeared and struck Mr Farrar to the face.

His nose broke immediately and was bleeding heavily.

Mr Farrar was later diagnosed with a deviated naval septum, nose fracture and a deformity of the nasal bones and cartilage.

He said in a statement to the court that he has been left unable to smell or taste and struggles to breath.

CCTV footage of the attack was shown to Bournemouth Crown Court during the sentencing on February 23, 2024. 

Judge Susan Evans KC said after the attack Whelan was seen outside the bar in good spirits and exchanging pleasantries with others before leaving with his partner.

Defending himself, Whelan said he was sorry for what happened, that he was drunk and overreacted.

“I grew up in a place where you had to defend yourself a lot more than here, and two males approached me and my girlfriend,” said Whelan.

Judge Evans responded Mr Farrar ‘did not even look at you’.

Whelan then said he also hit Mr Farrar’s friend, despite not being charged with a second assault due to a lack of evidence.

The defendant has 20 previous convictions for 39 offences, including one charge of battery a month after this offence.

Whelan pleaded guilty on the day of trial for assault causing actual bodily harm.

For failing to save money for compensation and showing a lack of remorse, Whelan of Russell Drive in Christchurch, was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

Dorset Police declined to provide a custody image of the defendant. 

Johnny Farrar told the Daily Echo he had to pay to see a private surgeon after the NHS told him his treatment would be aesthetic.

After travelling to London to see a specialist, Mr Farrar was told he needed surgery to remove part of his rib and put it in his nose, which would cost around £20,000.

“The NHS offered a surgery to drill a hole through my nose to help my breathing but a private doctor said my nose was so weak it could have collapsed,” said Mr Farrar.

Having already spent £2500 in private consultations, he sought the help of MP Tobias Ellwood who sent a letter to the NHS on his behalf.

Two years after the incident, Mr Farrar is being consulted on a potential NHS surgery to fix his nose.

Mr Ellwood said: “Johnny Farrar is a remarkable individual who was never going to let this unprovoked horrific attack hold him back.

“I am so pleased he has been able to secure the NHS help he had been seeking and I am so pleased that I was able to nudge the system forward.

“I wish him the very best as he rebuilds is life and is now able to step forward with increased confidence.”