Birthday celebrations end with gaol (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Birthday celebrations end with gaol

8:41pm Friday 9th May 2008

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TWO friends celebrating a birthday in Winchester received an unwanted hangover in the shape of eight months behind bars.

Nathan Booker and Scott Lilley pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, following a fight that was caught on camera.

Images of the brawl were shown during their sentencing at Winchester Crown Court today (May 9).

They were seen confronting their victim, a man called Ross Atkinson, at the bus stop outside Barclays Bank in Jewry Street.

They set upon him at around 10.45pm on the evening of Monday, March 31. During the next three minutes, both were seen landing punches and kicks while their friends struggled to restrain them.

The victim suffered bruises to his head, knees and back, cuts to his face and hands, and concussion.

Police arrested Lilley, who was celebrating his 20th birthday, and Booker, aged 21, at the scene. Later, when interviewed by officers, they were shown the video.

Adam Feest, mitigating for Booker, said: "There's no suggestion there was any premeditation in terms of the assault, or choosing the victim, and it's clearly an assault by two men who were very drunk.

"As soon as he saw the video in the police interview he was visibly distressed and ashamed of what he had done."

The court heard that Lilley was equally remorseful.

Kerry Maylin, prosecuting, added that Lilley had no previous convictions, while Booker had one violence-related offence on file. Both pleaded guilty when they appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court last month (April).

Mr Recorder Andrew Oldland said: "While Mr Atkinson was waiting at the bus shelter, he was unfortunate enough to encounter you two when you were very drunk.

"Sadly this sort of behaviour is all too common in our towns and cities. It is late night violence fuelled by drink, and it's a new British disease."

He sentenced Booker, from Luton, to eight months in prison, and Lilley, from Dunstable, to the same period in a young offenders' institute.

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