Three Jailed After Attack In Sandy

10 January 2013, 12:41 | Updated: 10 January 2013, 18:04

Three men have been jailed today for a total of 19 years for an attack late at night on a street in Sandy.

Their victim, Daniel Thompson had a glass smashed into the back of his head. As he lay on the ground, he was hit by a bottle and kicked and stamped on.

Today at Luton Crown Court Jason Smith, 35, a father of four from Winchester Road in Sandy was jailed for eight years following his trial in December when a jury found him guilty of wounding Mr Thompson with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm and affray.

David Gosling, 23, of Merlin Drive, Sandy was jailed for 6 years. He had pleaded guilty earlier to the wounding charge.

Shane Coughlan, 21, of Winchester Road in Sandy, who was 19 when he took part in the attack, was jailed for 5 years after he too admitted the wounding charge.

Rory Keene prosecuting told the court today how the violence broke out in Wesley Road, Sandy on the night of Sunday 8th May 2011.

The court heard how the three men had all been out drinking that evening.

Gosling and Coughlan were extremely drunk. They argued with each other and then decided they would go to speak to someone in Wesley Road in the town because they had a grievance.

It was late at night on the Sunday when the pair began making a commotion outside the house.

Mr Thompson, who had a young child in the house, came out of his property to speak to the pair and try and get them to be quiet.

As he did so Smith, who was also nearby, ran up behind him with a pint glass which was smashed into the back of Mr Thompson's head.

He tried to grab hold of Smith to protect himself and the pair fell to the ground whereupon the other two and possibly another man then attacked Mr Thompson.

As he lay on the ground unable to defend himself, he was struck by a bottle wielded by Gosling.

Both Gosling and Coughlan delivered kicks and stamped on Mr Thompson's head and body.

All three were arrested by police shortly after the attack.

The court heard Mr Thompson suffered a serious injury to his right eye in the brutal attack and his vision out of it has been affected.

Passing sentence on the three, Judge Michael Kay QC told them "This is a horrific story of our times."

He said he would like every young person who goes out binge drinking at weekends to hear what had happened in the case.

He described the attack on Mr Thompson as "horrendous" adding "It's a blight on our times that individuals go out drinking, get angry and resort to violence. If you can't control yourself when in drink - don't drink. Alcohol is no excuse."

He told the three "it was the attack of a coward."

The judge said he recalled the reaction of the jury when shown some of the still pictures taken of Mr Thompson's facial injuries during the trial of Smith.