Horror as gangs clash in town centre

Fracas led to broken bones

A VICIOUS gang fight that raged in Newbury town centre resulted in serious injuries, town magistrates heard.

One man sustained a fractured hand and another a broken arm in the affray, while a third had his head stamped on in the bloody fracas, the court was told.

In the dock on Thursday, January 14, were 18-year-old Jack Bonner of Maple Crescent, Newbury; Cameron Max Harle, aged 20, of Wormersley Road, Greenham; and a Newbury teenager who can’t be identified for legal reasons.

Jennifer Riddell, prosecuting, said the violence erupted in the early hours following an argument between rival groups in the Diamond Tap in Cheap Street, Newbury.

One man, Thomas Bailey, shouted abuse at his rivals and later confronted them outside the nearby Vue Cinema, she said.

In the melée that followed, Mr Bailey was seen throwing punches before he was overpowered and punched to the floor, where his head was stamped on by the youth, magistrates were told.

Ms Riddell said Mr Harle landed several punches to a rival’s face while Mr Bonner, too, had joined in the violence.

All three defendants admitted one offence of affray on May 30 last year.

Stephen Collins, for the youth, said his client “didn’t think of the possible consequences of his actions, which could have been much worse”.

Mr Bonner has four convictions for offences committed as a youth and Mike Davis, defending, said his client had not been involved with the earlier trouble at the Diamond Tap, but conceded there was “no justification for what he did”.

Mr Harle has previous convictions for possessing an offensive weapon and criminal damage. He was arrested after being identified from CCTV footage of the incident, the court heard.

Ben May, defending, said: “He saw Mr Bailey throwing punches and ran to reason with him. But he ended up taking him to the floor and throwing punches at his head. He has no financial means at the moment but is actively seeking work.”

Magistrates made the youth subject to a six-month referral order and required him to pay £85 costs plus a £15 surcharge.

Both Mr Bonner and Mr Harle were made subject to a 12-month community order with a 24-hour attendance centre requirement for the former and a 30-hour requirement for the latter. Both were ordered to pay £85 costs plus a £60 victim surcharge.