Six Royal Air Force servicemen involved in violence at a Penrith pub which saw a man kicked in the head as he lay helpless on the ground have been sentenced along with a man from the town.
One of the six, 32-year-old Cyrus Church — who has since left the armed forces — was jailed for 10 months by a judge who concluded that without his violent, belligerent and persistent conduct, the shocking town centre incident would not have occurred.
Carlisle Crown Court heard the group of servicemen were on a break from operations on September 19 2020. Lunchtime drinking continued throughout the afternoon and into the night.
At The Pinny, Burrowgate, Church, 32, got involved in a row with a group which included 41-year-old Daniel Edmunds, who was also visiting the area separately.
Church was pulled away several times but repeatedly returned to Edmunds and then punched landlord David Mollon with an uppercut when he tried to halt trouble. Mr Mollon suffered an unpleasant cut above his eyebrow and, after leaving to examining his injury, returned to see a full scale fracas. He was attacked in two separate incidents, the court heard.
Having been ejected, the RAF group kicked the pub door and a window was smashed by Adam Crozier, 23.
Penrith man Mark Rowlandson, 36, a friend of Mr Mollon who had also initially tried to diffuse the situation, carried a bar stool as he left the pub along with Edmunds and others. “They approach the RAF group and a brawl ensues,” said prosecutor Rob Dudley.
Central figure Church, along with Crozier, threw punches. So, too, did Luke Way, 32, and Harry-Joe Favill, 27, the latter joining Thomas Cross, 31, in kicking one male as he lay on the ground.
Edmunds punched another member of the RAF group, who fell, hit his head on the floor and was rendered unconscious. Thomas Forbes, 25, ran across and kicked that man as he lay prone. He was later taken to hospital.
All violence was captured on CCTV with Judge Nicholas Barker describing a deplorable spectacle of public disorder.
The eight men were later arrested and each admitted affray when brought to court.
Church, of Woodsome Drive, Mirfield, West Yorkshire, had toured Iraq and Afghanistan, suffered trauma while in the RAF and was remorseful for his criminal Penrith conduct.
Judge Barker jailed him for 10 months, concluding he was intent on violence and disorder.
Crozier and Way, both of Bury St Edmunds; Cross, of Stanton, also Suffolk; Favill, of Retford, Nottinghamshire; and Forbes, of West Mersea, Essex, all had seven-month prison sentences suspended for 18 months.
They must all wear alcohol-ban wristbands for 90 days — 120 days for Favill — complete unpaid work and each pay Mr Mollon £100 compensation. Cross and Forbes must also undergo rehabilitation.
Rowlandson, of Castle Terrace, Penrith, hadn’t inflicted any violence on a person but, the judge, concluded, was threatening and aggressive.
His barrister, Tim Evans, said: “He became involved primarily to protect his mate.” Rowlandson was given a community order comprising unpaid work and must also wear a 90-day alcohol abstinence tag.
Edmunds, of Sharow, Ripon, had a 10-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and was also given unpaid work, the alcohol abstinence requirement and told to pay compensation.
