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Jail after drink fuelled attack
Three men were jailed on Thursday (January 10) for a total of 19 years for a brutal late night attack.
Their victim, Daniel Thompson, had a glass smashed into the back of his head in Sandy. As he lay defenceless on the ground, he was hit with a bottle and kicked and stamped on.
At Luton Crown Court Jason Smith, 35, a father of two from Winchester Road in Sandy, was jailed for eight years following his trial in December when a jury found him guilty of wounding Mr Thompson with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm and affray.
David Gosling, 23, of Merlin Drive, Sandy was jailed for six years. He had pleaded guilty earlier to wounding.
Shane Coughlan, 21, of Winchester Road in Sandy, who was 19 when he took part in the attack, was jailed for five years after he too admitted the wounding charge.
Rory Keene, prosecuting, told the court how the violence broke out in Wesley Road, Sandy on Sunday, May 8 2011.
The court heard how the three men had all been out drinking. Gosling and Coughlan were extremely drunk. They argued with each other and then decided they would go to Wesley Road to Mr Thompson’s home, with whom they had a grievance.
It was late at night when the pair began making a commotion outside the house.
Mr Thompson, who had a young child in the house, came out of the property to speak to the pair and try and get them to be quiet.
Smith, who was also nearby, ran up behind him and smashed a pint glass into the back of Mr Thompson’s head.
Mr Thompson tried to grab hold of Smith to protect himself and the pair fell to the ground whereupon the other two and possibly another man then attacked Mr Thompson.
As he lay on the ground Gosling struck him with a bottle. Both Gosling and Coughlan kicked and stamped on Mr Thompson’s head and body. All three were arrested by police shortly after the attack.
Mr Thompson suffered a serious injury to his right eye and his vision out of it has been affected.
Judge Michael Kay QC described the attack as “horrendous”. He said: “It’s a blight on our times that individuals go out drinking, get angry and resort to violence. If you can’t control yourself when in drink – don’t drink. Alcohol is no excuse.”
He told the three “it was the attack of a coward.”
Speaking after the sentence was passed, assistant chief constable Andrew Richer from Bedfordshire Police said: “I echo the comments made by Judge Kay that this was a horrific incident.
“Excessive alcohol has played its part in this case and lives of many have been ruined as a result. Bedfordshire Police is committed to fighting crime and protecting the public and knowing these three men are now locked up for significant lengths of time I hope will go some way to reassure the public that justice has been done.
“We also hope this sends a message to anyone who thinks they can take the law into their own hands and inflict violence with the belief they will not be caught, they are wrong.”
“Bedfordshire Police has reduced violent crime significantly in the last 12 months and crime overall is down six per cent compared with the same time last year. While this remains a serious and motiveless assault that has left a family in shock and distress, such incidents are still rare.”
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Weather for Biggleswade
Sunday 19 May 2013
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Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
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