A Soham man has been sent to a Young Offenders Institution for his role in
a violent street attack.
Daniel Burling, 20, had pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm
and causing grevious bodily harm.
At Ipswich Crown Court on June 16, Burling, of Kingfisher Drive, Soham,
was sentenced to 18 months custody.
The court heard that during the attack 63 separate punches and kicks were rained
down on the two victims.
The entire 10 minute incident was captured by CCTV cameras and recordings of
the violence were played in court.
Joshua Hancock, 20, of Kings Road, Bury St Edmunds, who pleaded guilty to assault
causing actual bodily harm and attempting to inflict grevious bodily harm with
intent, was sent to a Young Offenders Institution for three years.
A third defendant, Mateusz Brzezinski, 22, of Lancaster Avenue, Bury St Edmunds,
who also pleaded guilty to assault, is to be sentenced on Friday following the
completion of a pre sentence report by the Probation Service.
The court heard that the attack had taken place shortly after midnight on
January 25 in Risbygate Street, Bury St Edmunds.
Prosecutor Robert Sadd said the victims, Jamie Phillips and Mark Sutcliffe,
were approached by the three attackers.
Mr Phillips backed away when Hancock offered to shake his hand and it was then
that Burling ran up behind him and smashed an object, believed to be a mobile
phone, over his head.
The two victims ran off pursued by Burling, Hancock and Brzezinski who managed
to catch Mr Sutcliffe who was subjected to a series of punches and kicks, at one
stage being held to allow another member of the group to hit him.
Meanwhile Mr Phillips was punched and knocked to the ground before Hancock ran
over, jumped in the air and stamped on his head.
Despite Mr Phillips falling unconcious, Hancock continued to punch him in the
head repeatedly and attempted to stamp on him again but was pulled away by
Brzezinski, said Mr Sadd.
Mr Sadd said the victims had not provoked or started the violence and they had
not retaliated.
“They offered no threat let alone violence to their attackers”, Mr Sadd told the
court.
In a statement, Mr Sutcliffe said the incident had made him wary of going out.
He said: “I do look over my shoulder a lot. It did unnerve me for a time.”
Mr Phillips, who spent two nights in hospital being treated for severe bruising.
facial swellings and cuts, said he could remember little of the incident apart
from being lifted into an ambulance.
He said in a statement that he felt lucky no to have suffered brain injury when
Hancock stamped on his head.
Joanne Eley, mitigating, said that Burling had believed that Mr Phillips was or
was about to assault Hancock and that as why he became involved.
Miss Eley said: “He appreciates that his actions were totally inappropriate and
totally wrong.”
When shown CCTV footage by the police of the attack, Burling said he had felt sick.
Appearing for Hancock, Greg Perrins said he too appreciated the seriousness of
what had taken place and Hancock realised that what he had done could have potentially
resulted in the death of Mr Phillips.
Judge John Holt said the attack had been violent, unprovoked and sustained. Stamping
on Mr Phillips head had been “sickening,” said the judge.
Judge Holt said: “This was a sustained attack , you gave chase which could be
regarded as premeditation and as for the jumping on the head by you, Hancock, I
regard your feet or more particularly your footwear as a weapon.”
Burling was told by the judge that his sentence as shorter partly to reflect letters
of support from his family who wanted to offer him support on his release.
Both defendants have already served 140 days on remand which will be deducted from
the time they spend in custody.
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