Youth custody for attacks on residents

Two youths have each been sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders’ institution for their part in a night of violence in a Balderton street in which residents were attacked outside their homes.

Bobby Parr (18) of Philip Road, Newark, and Aaron Hunter (17) of New Street, Huthwaite, were sentenced at Newark Youth Court yesterday.

The pair were convicted of all the charges they faced following a three-day trial at the same court last month.

The incident took place in Grove Street, Balderton, in May.

District Judge Melvyn Harris said Grove Street resident Mr Andrew Watson was knocked unconscious and his partner, Miss Amanda Bowley, had 13 stitches inserted in her face following the attack.

Another man, Mr Jonathan Eagers, was assaulted when he went to help.

Mr Watson suffered a broken nose, head injuries, a cut lip and lost several front teeth.

Mr Harris said residents’ cars had repeatedly been vandalised in the past and on the night of May 16 some of them decided to confront a group of youths in the street after Bobby Parr was seen kicking a wing mirror.

He said Parr pulled a plank of wood from a fence and hit Mr Watson with it.

He said: “He fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. He was unconscious and was then kicked while on the ground.

“It was noted his injuries might cause some disfigurement to his appearance.”

Mr Harris said the blow could have caused much more serious injuries.

He said Hunter attacked Mr Watson and Mr Eagers.

Mr Harris said Hunter also hit Miss Bowley twice in the head with a piece of wood as she tried to defend her partner.

Parr was told he would have to serve 18 months in a young offenders’ institution for assaulting Mr Watson, causing actual bodily harm.

He was given a further six-month detention and training order, to serve concurrently, for common assault on Mr Eagers.

No separate penalty was given for the attempted criminal damage charge he faced.

Mr Harris said: “You are a young man for whom violence seems to come easily.”

Hunter was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders’ institution for charges of assault causing actual bodily harm on Mr Watson and Miss Bowley.

He will serve a further six months detention and a training order, to run concurrently, for common assault on Mr Eagers.

There was no separate penalty for the charges of criminal damage and attempted criminal damage that he faced.

Mr Harris said: “You are not a stranger to the use of violence.”

Following an application by an Advertiser reporter Mr Harris agreed to lift the reporting restrictions on naming Hunter because he said it was in the public interest to do so.

Anti-social behaviour orders were imposed on both youths and will start on the date of their release.

A 15-year-old youth was given a one-year supervision order after he admitted at a previous hearing assaulting a police officer on the night in question.