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Firefighter Justin Bancroft pay victims $17K following attack outside bar

Judge ordered restitution as part of sentence
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CINCINNATI - A Cincinnati firefighter who attacked three people outside a bar last year paid his victims $17,344.39 as part of his sentence Monday.

Judge Robert Gorman had ordered 28-year-old Justin Bancroft to pay restitution for out-of-pocket medical expenses. Bancroft also was sentenced to five years of community control.

Bancroft pleaded guilty in February to two counts of attempted felonious assault resulting from the attack outside the Holy Grail at The Banks last Aug. 24.

In a statement to WCPO, Cincinnati Fire Chief Roy Winston said Bancroft is still on leave without pay, which has been his status since the attack. The statement adds:

"We are aware of the outcome of the court proceedings, but this situation prompted both an internal investigation and one with the State of Ohio EMS. We are currently awaiting information from them and reviewing Fire and HR policies to determine the outcome and close the investigation.”

Bancroft had been assigned to Truck 31 in Oakley. He joined the department on June 26, 2016.

Bancroft originally pleaded not guilty and his attorney, Stew Mathews, first claimed the firefighter was attacked after Bancroft’s car was surrounded by people as he tried to leave. But Assistant Prosecutor David Wood said video refuted Bancroft’s story.

"After reviewing that video, they (police) say at no time during any of this do the four involved throw a punch," Wood said. "And that the account that the defendant gave them is not supported by the video."

A police report stated that Bancroft struck the victims with a closed fist. Two of the victims were students at Xavier University, a university spokesperson said.