FIVE men have been jailed for a total of 23 years and eight months following a serious assault on a teenager in Harlow.
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Luke Martin, 19, of Joyners Field, Harlow, and Craig Quennell, 22, of Long Banks, Harlow, Daniel Lockett, 21, of Little Brays, Harlow, Jordan Hinton, 20, of The Briars, Harlow, and Sean Stuart, 32, of Tamar Way, Tottenham, were sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court today (Friday, September 22).
Martin was jailed for nine years and Quennell received an eight year sentence for GBH with intent and Lockett was jailed for 18 months and Hinton received two years for violent disorder. They were all found guilty following a 15-day trial a Chelmsford Crown Court that concluded on Friday, July 21. Stuart, who pleaded guilty to GBH on the first day of trial, was jailed for three years.
They had previously pleaded not guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday, April 25, 2016.
On September 4, 2015, one of the defendants was ejected from Twenty One Bar in Harlow after getting into an argument with the victim.
The defendants then waited for him to leave and attacked him at around 3.15pm, knocking him unconscious. They then continued to kick and punch him as he lay on the floor.
The victim was taken to hospital with facial fractures and fluid around his brain, which has since caused black outs and memory loss.
Four of the men were arrested on September 6, 2015. Police arrested two more men over the coming months.
One of these men, Luke Quennell, 19, of Long Banks, Harlow, was found not guilty of violent disorder and GBH following the trial.
Investigating officer Dc Leo Fordham, of Harlow CID, said: “All five men played a part in a vicious and an unprovoked attack on a man who innocently bumped into his attackers while dancing during a night out with friends.
“Embarrassed and angry about being ejected from the venue, they waited for the victim to leave and then outnumbered him in an assault that has had a lasting impact on the victim, who now suffers black outs and memory loss.
“I would like to praise him for his courage throughout the investigation and trial after his attackers denied any involvement. They have not shown any remorse for their actions and will now face a lengthy period locked away in a prison cell.”