Elstree: Judge Says Gang Used "Mob" Style Violence

5 February 2013, 06:00

Four men from Hertfordshire have been convicted of beating up two men on a train travelling from St. Albans to Elstree.

Shaun Colvin, Shane Fawcett, Jason Kelly and Stephen Lavin attacked two men on the train and then pursued them out of the station.

Prosecutor Richard Mandel told St Albans crown court the four defendants and the two victims had all spent the evening in the Horn pub in Victoria Street, St Albans: "On the train from St Albans to Elstree there was an altercation after one of the men's hats had been taken as a joke. The two complainants were attacked by the group.

"One was hit on the head several times and knocked to the floor,".

CCTV played to the court showed that when the train arrived at Elstree the victims were chased off over the tracks and subjected to a second attack.

Colvin, 22, of Thirsk Road, Borehamwood;  Fawcett, 22, of Gateshead Road, Borehamwood; Kelly, 23, of Academy Road, Station Road, Borehamwood; and Lavin, 22, of the YMCA, Watford pleaded guilty to affray on the night of Friday 27 to Saturday 28 April last year.

Judge John Plumstead said: "This was a group attack by four youths on two others. It was mob violence, a drunk attack."

On Friday (Feb 1st), Judge Plumstead jailed Colvin, who had 11 previous convictions, for 9 months. Fawcett, who had 6 previous convictions, was given a 9 month jail sentence suspended for 18 months. He must attend a Drinkwise programme   Kelly, who had no previous convictions, was ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and was given a 4 month jail sentence suspended for 18 months. Lavin, who had one previous conviction, was sentenced to 9 months jail suspended for 18 months.

The judge banned the three he had not sent to jail from going anywhere where alcohol is served after 6.30pm for the next 6 months. Pubwatch in St Albans and Borehamwood will be notified of his ruling, he said.