Thug who battered pensioner says 'he threatened my family so I regret nothing'

A man has said he doesn't 'regret anything' after being released from prison following a horrific assault on a pensioner in a pub.

Dougie Joyce was jailed in November 2023 after admittingrepeatedly punching the 78-year-old victim in the back room of a pub in Manchester's Northern Quarter. After he was sentenced for 19 months for GBH, police described him as an"aggressive and violent man" who "intended to intimidate and inflict pain on a vulnerable 78-year-old". Joyce, who was released last November, made the headlines again this year for appearing in a video alongside former Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was criticised for promoting his new whiskey product.

In the video shared on his Instagram page, Joyce - a member of one of Greater Manchester's most well-known Traveller families - handed the former PM a bottle of Joyce's Irish Whiskey saying "Just remember - Dougie Joyce loves ya". The Tory ex-PM then added: "Liz Truss loves you."

In CCTV footage from the attack in October 2022, the 36-year-old, who was wearing a large gold ring, was seen punching the elderly man before encouraging his dad to join in. Police said left the assault left the 78-year-old victim with "significant facial injuries."

But in an interview with the Criminal Connection podcast released last week, the businessman and former bare-knuckle boxer said he had no regrets about the incident, reports Manchester Evening News. He told host Terry Stone: "I never regret anything I do in life.

"I regret being in that situation. But I don't regret anything I do because everything I do is for a reason."

He described the incident as "just one of them moments inside of a pub", and claimed the man had insulted his father, John Joyce. His dad was given a community order for his role in the attack.

Joyce added: "The bottom line of the story is my father knocked him spark out 35 years ago. That was it.

"But what it was he was holding a grudge against my father. He's obviously not got over it. There was a little bit of commotion. And then he got very abusive coming out with his name calling and then he just took it one step too far.

"He threatened my family. Nobody threatens my family. I don't care who you are. Obviously I've got drink in my system and I'm an alpha male and the thing is I'll always protect my family.

"So, I've done what I've done and at the end of the day, I've paid the price, been to jail. It's the past. I put it behind me. It is what it is."

Joyce also recalled being arrested at Dublin Airport following the attack - and described his stint behind bars as "plain sailing", claiming he was asked for selfies and autographs while in HMP Strangeways and Forest Bank.

He said of his time in prison: "I just kept my head down, got on with it, done my gym, met a few nice fellas in there. I know a lot of people anyways from in inside out and there was no issues whatsoever."

The 36-year-old former bare-knuckle boxer has several convictions for violence, and previously appeared in the The Joyce Family Documentary on Amazon. He reportedly turned down a role in Channel 4's My Big Fat Gypsy Weddings.

In May last year, he was jailed for 13 months after a feud between the Joyces and members of the Doherty family ended up in a mass brawl The Vine pub in Collyhurst, Manchester.