A thug ex-boxer who slammed a bottle into a pub landlord's face while he pleaded for him to "leave the kids alone" has had his lenient prison sentence doubled.
Security guards Joshua Kehoe (also known as Yates) and George Harper terrorised an 18th birthday party at the Manor Farm Pub, Rainhill, after Kehoe was accused of rifling through a 17-year-old barmaid's bag, on the evening of May 13, 2021. What followed involved a vicious, prolonged attack on multiple victims - which including kicking and punching an unconscious man in the head as he lay motionless on the floor.
Former boxer Kehoe, of Cretan Road, Wavertree, was jailed for four years and Harper, of Holland Street, Fairfield, for two years and eight months this summer by Judge Judith Bond, sitting at Liverpool Crown Court. However the Solicitor General's office referred the case to The Court of Appeal under the "unduly lenient" scheme, arguing the sentence was far too short.
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The courts heard the pair had shown up after finishing a shift working the doors at an unrelated event. Initially there were no issues and things were amicable, but when Samantha Casey, the partner of landlord John Lunt, accused 28-year-old Kehoe of theft, he began demanding £500 and making violent threats alongside Harper, 30.
During the course of the 10 minute rampage, Mr Lunt was struck in the head with a wine bottle before he was also kicked into unconsciousness by Kehoe, with x-rays later revealing he had suffered a fractured skull, a fractured nose and a fractured left cheekbone alongside several other injuries.
Another employee, Stephen Gledhill, suffered a dislocated shoulder which required surgery, while a customer who was on crutches at the time, Jake McSweeney-Forrester, was struck with a bottle by Kehoe, requiring three stitches to his head. Another customer, John Ashton, was hit with the bottle and punched while a Mr Hannon was grabbed by Kehoe and told "get me £500 out of that till before I stab you".
Customer Jack Anthony was hit with a "flurry of punches" by both attackers, leaving him concussed and with a black eye, while Jacob Clark-Royal was punched by Kehoe and knocked unconscious, before being kicked in the head twice. Kehoe and Harper were arrested and later admitted to causing GBH with intent and other assault charges.
In a written judgment, Lord Justice Singh, presiding over the appeal, said: "The offenders left Mr Clark-Royal apparently unresponsive on the floor outside the building. At that point, we should mention, as we have said, that we have viewed the CCTV footage of events on the night of the incident. The violence shown on it would shock any reasonable person.
"For example, in the incident which we are currently describing the offenders hit Mr Clark-Royal while he was on the ground, leaving him prone and still. They showed a callous disregard for his welfare as they returned to the pub to carry on assaulting other people."
The courts heard how Mr Lunt was struck after bravely trying to draw the rampaging thugs on to himself, telling the bottle wielding Kehoe: "I'm the one you want. Come to me and leave the kids alone".
Mr Lunt gave up his job at the pub as a result of the attack and ended up in debt, Mr Clark-Royal had to give up playing Sunday League football because of his injuries.
The Solicitor General's office argued that Judge Bond had "not addressed the issue of dangerousness at all", referring to the legal definition which results in an extended sentence, and had placed the offences in the wrong category according to sentencing guidelines.
Summarising the referral, Lord Justice Singh said in a written judgment: "There was a weapon used. This indicated higher culpability. Further, it is submitted that it was a prolonged and persistent assault. It is also submitted that Mr Lunt was particularly vulnerable because he was on the floor when he was kicked, having been struck by a bottle.
"The assault then continued with kicks and punches. Further, it is submitted that the injuries of Mr Lunt can properly be described as 'grave'. He received a fractured skull, a broken nose and a fractured cheekbone. He required a hospital stay of four days. It is also submitted that there was a further aggravating feature in that the victim was caused to move home as a result of the attack.
"It is noted that there were five offences of violence committed against five different victims by Harper over the course of a ten-minute incident. Kehoe committed four offences of violence against four victims."
Judge Singh concluded: "We have reached the conclusion that the sentences passed in this troubling case were unduly lenient. We have also reached the conclusion that in the case of Kehoe a finding should have been made that he is a dangerous offender and an extended sentence imposed on him in order to protect the public."
The justices quashed the original jail terms and instead handed Kehoe an extended sentence of eight years, with an additional four on licence. This means he can only be released on licence after serving two thirds behind bars, and then only before the end of the eight year jail term if the Parole Board decide he no longer poses a risk.
Harper's sentence was also almost doubled to five years and four months, although he will be automatically released on licence at the half-way stage.
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