Two young men who launched a savage drunken attack on a stranger in Whitehaven town centre just hours after a COVID lockdown was lifted have been jailed.
Bailey Skinner had been socialising in Whitehaven on Monday, April 12 last year — as bars and restaurants reopened — when he was attacked at a bus stop by 21-year-olds Benn MacLennan and Antony Shearer after an exchange of words.
CCTV captured MacLennan beginning the violence at 9.20pm with a hard punch which floored Mr Skinner, who had his hands in pockets and was then struck again several times. He had little memory of what occurred, Carlisle Crown Court heard today.
“The next thing he recalls is being on the ground face down,” said prosecutor Gerard Rogerson. “He could see a black Nike trainer coming towards him in the form of a kick. That trainer was being worn by Mr Shearer.”
A brave woman present at the scene intervened to prevent further trouble but the incident had a life-changing effect on the victim. He had a CT scan and X-rays at the West Cumberland Hospital which showed a triple fracture of the jaw.
He later underwent surgery at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary with plates and pins inserted to fix the damage which would be permanently in place. He had to give up playing rugby, lost weight, was more anxious and no longer felt safe when in Whitehaven on his own. His facial appearance had been altered. “The incident has changed his life dramatically,” said Mr Rogerson.
MacLennan admitted wounding with intent, and Shearer admitted unlawful wounding. The two men were said by their respective barristers to be genuinely sorry for what they did that night having been working in the Whitehaven area. MacLennan, of Siskin Drive, Corbridge, was “appalled” by his violence while Shearer, of Amersham Place, Blakelaw, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, had been left “absolutely horrified” by his criminal conduct.
Recorder Tony Hawks jailed MacLennan for three years, and Shearer for 18 months.
“For reasons that are incomprehensible to any normal person, you launched a savage and unprovoked attack on a young man… who presented no physical risk to you whatsoever,” the judge told them.
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