Eastwood man fractured his enemy’s skull during mass brawl in Derbyshire marketplace
An Eastwood man fractured his enemy’s skull by smashing a bottle over his head during a mass brawl in a Derbyshire marketplace, a court has heard.
Blu Wright, Jason Bailey, and Ashley Dunne began throwing bottles of Budweiser from a box Wright was carrying at another group of young men outside the White Swan pub in Ashbourne at closing time on April 8, 2022.
Dawn Pritchard, prosecuting, played CCTV which showed both groups hurling items, including a traffic cone, and brawling in the streets around the marketplace and Victoria Square.
When one of their enemies fell over, Bailey hit him before Wright smashed a bottle over his head.
The pair ran off leaving their victim with blurred vision, a fractured skull, and a three-inch wound on the back of his head which required stitching.
Shortly afterwards the group moved to Benny’s Pizza & Kebab House, on Compton Road, where Wright punched a second man repeatedly from behind.
Dunne pushed him to the ground and Wright aimed kicks at his head, before all four defendants fled.
He was left unconscious with a swollen eye socket, a deformed nose and a tender jaw and said he was left feeling anxious and reluctant to go out after the unprovoked attack
A third victim, who didn’t support the prosecution, was left needing stitches to a cut on the back of his head.
Nottingham Crown Court heard the group had been celebrating Dunne’s release from prison, but Wright was identified on CCTV and police found all three at his home.
William Bennett, mitigating, conceded Wright wasn’t helped by his criminal record but said none of the injuries were permanent.
He was the victim of serious domestic violence as a child and “developed a very hard shell very quickly.”
Wright turned to drink and drugs after a relationship ended but knows he must break his cycle of violent offending, he added.
David Watts said Bailey is now drug-free and has taken advantage of the stability prison life brings.
He has spent nine months on remand and wishes to remain in prison to avoid homelessness upon his release.
Ellesse Taylor said Dunne, a bin man and father-of-three, apologised for his outbursts during the hearing.
He deserves credit for his guilty pleas and hasn’t offended since. A “toxic combination” of alcohol, immaturity and Dunne’s “jail mentality” led to his unacceptable behaviour.
He was introduced to criminality by his father but is now motivated to break his cycle of offending, Ms Taylor added.
Wright, aged 30, of Comet Road, Eastwood, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and affray. Bailey, 36, of no fixed address, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and affray. Dunne, 28, formerly of Lynholmes Road, Matlock, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.
Wright also admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm, common assault and thefts in a separate series of incidents that took place in Eastwood in June last year.
On Thursday, March 19, Judge Philip Head classified Wright as dangerous and sentenced him to a total of eight years and nine months in prison.
Bailey received 24 months in prison. Dunne received 22 months, suspended for two years, with 15 rehabilitation days, a 26-day programme, and 175 hours of unpaid work. He was banned from entering any licensed premises for two years, and was ordered to pay £600 costs and £500 compensation.