Two women who were part of an angry mob who chased and viciously attacked a man in ugly scenes in Newcastle city centre have been jailed.
Katrina Wright and Tamla Davidson subjected the victim to repeated blows in front of shocked members of the public while Aaron Walsh, who didn't know anyone involved, joined in with a flying kick as they passed a pub.
After a series of blows, some of which was recorded on mobile phones, the victim was left lying on the ground unconscious and had to be taken to hospital. Now Wright, Davidson and Walsh have all been locked up for assault.
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Newcastle Crown Court heard it was around 9.30pm on June 16 that people saw a man being chased by a large group of people, running through Eldon Square onto Clayton Street.
The court heard Wright said she had been socialising at Old Eldon Square's "hippy green" when, she alleges, the man stole her bank card. She said she followed him and he refused to give the card back and claimed he punched her in the mouth. That version of events was not proven but they were sentenced on that basis.
CCTV captured a group of around ten people, including Wright, Davidson and others, pursuing the man on Clayton Street. Andrew Walker, prosecuting, said: "Wright was the first person to emerge and punched the complainant from behind, causing him to stumble and another member of the group kicked someone with the victim.
"He continued to make his way down the street with the group following him. Wright emerged again and approached the man and punched him to the head from behind, this time it knocked him to the floor."
As they got near Tesco, Wright knocked him to the ground again before Davidson delivered a flurry of seven punches to his head. Walsh, who didn't know anyone involved and was standing outside a pub, then got involved, running around 20 metres, jumping in the air and kicking the victim with full force in the shoulder, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Mr Walker said: "Other people were recording events on their phones and Wright applauded Walsh." The two women then threw the victim to the ground again while Walsh punched a man he was with.
An unidentified man then punched the victm before Davidson was seen "circling round him with her fist pulled back" before punching him around five times as he tried to cover his head. Wright then kicked him in the back of the head and Walsh also kicked him, leaving him unconscious. He lay prone on the ground for around ten minutes with members of the public and then police and paramedics coming to his aid.
The three attackers remained in the area and were arrested after being identified by CCTV operators. The victim was taken to hospital and his face was heavily marked with cuts, bruises and scrapes. He didn't make a statement to police so there is no medical evidence about his injuries.
Mr Walker said of the attack: "It was right in the middle of the city centre on a summer's evening where people were out in pubs and restaurants and just outside a shopping area. The recording of this on mobile phones, even if not by the defendants, has an element of degradation to it."
The court heard Davidson, 36, has 34 previous convictions, including GBH and was on a suspended sentence for having a bladed article at the time. Wright, 38, has 60 previous convictions, including violence and was also on a suspended sentence for having a bladed article, which was activated for battery two days after the city centre assault. Wright, 20, has four previous convictions and was on a suspended sentence imposed in March for affray after sparking a large scale disorder at a train station in Margate.
All three admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and Walsh also admitted common assault on the other man. Wright, of Westgate Road, Newcastle, was jailed for 12 months while Davidson, of Prince Edward Road, South Shields and Walsh, of Imeary Street, South Shields, got 15 months, three months of which were their suspended sentences being activated.
Judge Christopher Prince told them: "You were all three involved in a very ugly incident in Newcastle city centre. This was a group attack. The fact there was no serious injury is just plain good luck. People suffer very serious injury and death because of such behaviour.
"This offending is so serious only a custodial sentence is appropriate. It is distressing violence."
David Callan, for Wright, said: "She had just had her credit card stolen and been punched in the mouth. Her life has been a mess, she has been addicted to drugs and alcohol."
Shaun Routledge, for Davidson, said her involvement was limited to two flurries of punches and there were no kicks from her. He added that she is sorry and may have acted in a "misguided" way over her friendship with Wright.
Jennifer Coxon, for Walsh, said he had been out drinking after starting a new job and "recalled feeling he needed to help the two females", who he "had absolutely nothing to do with". She added: "He deeply regrets his behaviour, it was an ugly incident and it's awful to watch, he knows that.
"He has been working for South Tyneside Council as a roofer in agency work and the plan was to make that permanent employment.
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