MANCHESTER club owner and friend of the stars Joe Akka has been jailed for a 'cowardly' attack on one of his customers.

Akka, 31, owner of celebrity nightspot Panacea, was told the vicious assault on James Bond stuntman Wayne Docksey was also an abuse of his power as the club boss.

Mr Docksey, who featured in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me during his stunt career, was knocked to the ground by Akka. He suffered brain damage and a fractured skull and doctors later had to remove a blood clot the size of a fist from his head.

Mr Docksey, 55, told how the attack had shattered his life, as Akka was given a 13-month prison sentence at Manchester Crown Court.

He said: "I have `died' three times and it may be that the next time it happens, I am gone.

"I am afraid I might fall. I might bang my head and the chances are I would not survive.

"I don't have social and leisure activities any more. I am afraid of going into anywhere such as pubs or clubs."

Akka is well known in Manchester's nightclub scene and his Panacea club is popular with celebrities and footballers, including Manchester United's Wayne Rooney. He recently took over Brasingamens in Alderley Edge, another nightclub popular with the rich and famous, and announced a £2m improvement plan.

Wrangler

Mr Docksey, of Middleton, appeared in major films including Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves as a stuntman. He later embarked on a new career as a movie animal 'wrangler'.

The court was told Mr Docksey was on a night out with relatives last August when they went for a drink in Panacea.

He had drunk a small amount of champagne and claimed he was then escorted out by two doormen for no reason. When outside the club in John Dalton Street, he was hit by Akka and fell against a parked car before hitting the floor.

Akka was accused of kicking Mr Docksey in the head as his victim lay on the ground and initially faced the more serious charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

But Judge Michael Henshell ruled there was no evidence of a kick and directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict. Akka then admitted a lesser charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

The judge imposed the jail term and also ordered him to pay his victim £10,000 compensation and £2,000 in court costs.

Akka, who has a previous conviction for wounding nine years ago, for which he received a conditional discharge, was told by the judge: "The attack carried out by you was cowardly and you were able to carry it out because of your position as the bar owner.

"It was also, on your part, an abuse of power and the effect of the blow gives an indication of the force with which it landed."

Responsibility

The judge added: "You had a high responsibility that night and you abdicated it entirely."

Speaking from his home last night, father-of-three Mr Docksey described his disappointment at Akka's sentence.

He said: "I'm devastated that the sentence and compensation awarded by the judge were so low. This man will spend less time incarcerated than I have spent so far in hell as a result of my injuries."

Mr Docksey said the attack followed a dispute inside the club. He said Akka accused him of blocking the path of staff trying to get behind the bar. However, Mr Docksey said he was simply doing magic tricks for friends and family in the bar area. He said it was after this dispute that he was manhandled out of the club.

As a result of his injuries, Mr Docksey is unlikely to do stunt work again. He said: "I hope I'll be able to get back to my normal self but it hasn't happened yet. It could take me a year, two years or it might never happen.

"Since this happened I have had a couple of seizures which the doctors say could be epilepsy and could be here for the rest of my life. I was in hospital for three months and have had a seven-inch plate put in my head. I have lost 82 per cent of my hearing in one ear and I have double vision in one eye. I also have problems with my balance because the fracture to my skull caused damage to my inner ear."

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