Pack of teenagers in vicious attack on man, 49, court told
A man was viciously attacked by 'a pack' of teenagers, leaving him with serious injuries, a court heard.
Up to nine youths piled into a 49-year-old man in a car park off Market Street in Hednesford, punching and kicking him.
He was later taken to hospital with a fractured eye socket, a displaced nose and a laceration to his scalp.
Five of the gang, all from Cannock, were given suspended youth custody sentences for their part in the attack, while a 16-year-old got a youth rehabilitation order.
Three others have been remitted to Cannock youth court.
In the dock at Stafford Crown Court were Bradley Thorneycroft, aged 18, of Greenwood Park; Jake Smith, aged 19, of Market Street; Daniel Obradovic, aged 19, also of Market Street;
Patrick Heydon, aged 18, of Bedford Place; Ross Gardner, aged 19, of Longstaff Avenue, and a 16-year-old youth who cannot be named.
All except Smith and the youth got eight months youth custody suspended for 18 months, a curfew for three months and were ordered to do 200 hours unpaid community work.
Smith got 10 months suspended for 18 months, with a curfew and 200 hours work. Thorneycroft and Smith were also ordered to pay the man £200 compensation, Gardner, Heydon and Obradovic £100 each and the youth £50.
Recorder Mr Andrew Lockhart QC told them they had 'behaved like of pack' and they could have been facing a charge of homicide.
"It was a savage attack, albeit of short duration. You brought shame on yourselves and on your families," he said.
The court heard the incident on December 29, 2012, was set off by the youth, then aged only 14. The man had been out drinking and after leaving the pub, bought some lager and cigarettes from an off-licence.
He offered to sell some of it to a group of youths but one of them, the defendant, said he wanted some beer for free.
The victim walked off to where his partner was parked on a car park and started to put his beer in to the vehicle when the youth again demanded a free one, said Mr Robert Price, prosecuting.
He was backed up against a wall by a group of youths and beaten up. The assault was captured on CCTV and the footage played to the court. Mr Paul Lamb, defending, said there had been no intention to cause serious harm to the victim.
