Tunbridge Wells: Man Jailed Over Unprovoked Attack

11 September 2014, 06:00

A man who violently assaulted two people during an unprovoked attack in Tunbridge Wells has been jailed for two years.

Jordan Copper, 19, head-butted and punched his victims as they were walking along Mount Pleasant Road on 17 August last year. The incident occurred as Copper, formerly of Main Road, Longfield, was walking with a group of friends shortly after midnight. He approached a man in his 20s and tried to pick a fight. When the victim indicated he didn’t want any trouble Copper accused him of showing disrespect and head-butted him in the face.
 
Copper than attacked a friend of the victim, who had tried to escort him to the safety of a nearby taxi. This man, also in his 20s, was repeatedly punched in the face. As he staggered to the rear of the vehicle Copper continued to beat him with his fists. The assault on the second man left him suffering injuries which included a depressed eye socket and a fractured cheek bone.
 
Copper was arrested in Mount Pleasant Road shortly after. After refusing to comment during police interview he was later charged.
 
Appearing at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday 8 September Copper was sentenced to 24 months in a young offenders’ institution. He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm and a further count of occasioning actual bodily harm.
 
Leading the investigation for Kent Police was Detective Constable Trudy Miller who said: ‘This was an entirely unprovoked and ferocious assault on two people who were minding their own business and who had tried to walk away from trouble. Thankfully, we were able to locate and arrest Copper very quickly and CCTV later clearly identified him as the culprit.’
 
DC Miller added: ‘Copper’s actions have left one of his victims with permanent scarring as well as constant discomfort, pain and numbness to his face. This sentence will hopefully make him realise the consequences of his violent actions.’