Student who had to have face rebuilt sees attackers escape jail (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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Student who had to have face rebuilt sees attackers escape jail
8:00am Thursday 20th December 2012 in News
By Neil Hunter
A STUDENT has had to have his face rebuilt after being savagely attacked outside a nightclub, a court heard yesterday.
Lewis McGarrity suffered extensive fractures to his nose, cheekbone, eye socket and palate, and continues to have pain.
The victim says in a statement that he is now self-conscious about his face and no longer feels able to go to college.
His attackers, Kelham Hindmarsh and Phillip Dodgson avoided prison when they appeared at Teesside Crown Court.
The pair admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and were given suspended jail sentences with four-month night-time curfews.
Street cameras captured the assault during which Mr McGarrity was repeatedly punched by Hindmarsh and kicked by both men.
Judge Tony Briggs described the late-night incident in Middlesbrough town centre in May as "nasty" and fuelled by drink.
Dodgson's barrister, Brian Russell, said he had downed a "monstrous" amount of booze and was shocked by what he did.
Jennifer Coxon, for former Royal Navy seaman Hindmarsh, told Judge Briggs: "He just can't imagine doing what he did."
The court heard how the victim has very little recollection of the attack, and there had been fears for his eyesight after the incident.
Miss Coxon said of Hindmarsh: "He is extremely remorseful for what happened that night. He describes it as absolutely disgusting."
Dodgson, of Master Road, Thornaby, near Stockton, was given 12 months, suspended for two years, with probation supervision.
Hindmarsh, of Mansfield Drive, Thornaby, received eight months suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work.
Comments(25)
sarahd
says...
11:05am Thu 20 Dec 12
Idontknowaboutyoubut
says...
11:25am Thu 20 Dec 12
I imagine the victim must feel badly let down by the judge,who is no doubt following guidelines gesigned to ease the strain on the prisons.Unfortunatel
y,it leaves these thugs free to do their worst,which they probably will.It is quite shocking.
CTRILEY
says...
11:54am Thu 20 Dec 12
smokin
says...
12:33pm Thu 20 Dec 12
when I got to the hospital I didn't even recognize my own son
when the police were told who had done it all they said was " OH THAT'S HEARSAY AND WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT"
how else are the people responsible for these crimes supposed to get caught and what is the use of tv shows such as crime watch where they ask the public for help in finding criminals, if when they are told who these thugs are they say it's just hearsay
so some are never caught just left to do it over and over again as will these thugs
chrisby33
says...
12:48pm Thu 20 Dec 12
a review needs to be held into this, he has been far too easy on them
lfp
says...
1:19pm Thu 20 Dec 12
DodgyMerchant
says...
1:25pm Thu 20 Dec 12
It gives violent scum a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card. The term they use for this from of sentence is a "walkaway". Sums it up, really.
The probation visit will give them a free bus trip down town to go shopping every week.
Davy Crocket
says...
1:35pm Thu 20 Dec 12
Townlad
says...
1:48pm Thu 20 Dec 12
smokin
says...
2:07pm Thu 20 Dec 12
plead guilty now and you will get a lighter sentence !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
unbelievable but TRUE
gavshaw62
says...
2:25pm Thu 20 Dec 12
fracker
says...
3:11pm Thu 20 Dec 12
loonyleft
says...
3:20pm Thu 20 Dec 12
Normski1960
says...
3:55pm Thu 20 Dec 12
stevegg
says...
3:57pm Thu 20 Dec 12
CTRILEY
says...
4:15pm Thu 20 Dec 12
stevegg wrote:Well said, instead of elected Police Commissioners why not elected Judges?
Another in the growing flood of injustice carried out by our soft out of touch judges. Its long overdue that judges/magistartes are held to account for their actions. If thesuspects reoffend after being given a non custodial sentance by a court, those responsible should be held to account as it is in just about every other profession these days. They are failing in their duty of care to protect the public and always siding with the offenders rights. Judges and magistrates would be far more inclined to apply the sentencing guidelines more rigourously if they knew they were in the firing line themselves!
mumof2teenagers
says...
4:30pm Thu 20 Dec 12
boxtie
says...
6:22pm Thu 20 Dec 12
still here
says...
6:48pm Thu 20 Dec 12
Bring back the 'Like' comments please!
frankyboy
says...
9:56pm Thu 20 Dec 12
vercingetorix
says...
10:10pm Thu 20 Dec 12
victorjames
says...
7:46am Fri 21 Dec 12
Davy Crocket wrote:I could not agree more there seems to be no extenuating circumstances other than drink. Compare this sentence with benefit cheats who although having cheated the public purse would usually benefit more from putting something back by doing community work. I think there ought to be a campaign to have this sentence referred upwards to The Attorny General, its a disgrace.
I think Tony Briggs should stand down and let someone else judge on cases such as this ... shameful.
doonhamer
says...
12:53am Mon 24 Dec 12
frankyboy wrote:Bet the Judge was ex Royal Navy, sailor boys stick together in more ways than one you know.
It does seem strange that in England these days you can kick someone almost to death and then just walk away from court scot-free.
robbiejay
says...
4:50pm Wed 26 Dec 12
glyn says...
10:58am Thu 20 Dec 12
Like a lot of people I like a few beers but I have never had the inclination to beat the living daylights out of anybody.
They are remorseful only because they got caught and want a light sentence. (and got one).
Would they have been so remorseful if it not been caught on cctv? No they would have denied it.
Stamp down on these people on their first crime not as we read so many times "after 20 plus other similar incidents"