Exclusive:Sheffield couple lost pub after “grotesque” machete attack involving thugs
A judge told both men they indulged in “grotesque violence”
Two Sheffield licencees lost their pub after “grotesque” violence involving a machete broke out between two thugs, a court heard.
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The landlord and landlady of the Richmond Hotel, Richmond, had their lives turned “upside down” and had to relocate to another part of the country following the “deplorable” fight in December last year.
During the brawl between Ashley Stocks and Gareth Medley, Stocks was seen delivering at least five “sickening” punches to the Richmond landlady’s head.
Medley sliced the tip of Stock’s thumb off with a machete during the incident.
Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, told the pair they had indulged in “grotesque violence” towards “each other and bar staff” during the December 29 incident.
In a statement read out to court, the landlord, who was himself left with tendon damage when Medley’s blade sliced his hand, said he and his family, including school aged children, had only taken over the pub two months previously.
However the following day it was closed by the council’s licensing department, forcing the family to relocate to another part of the country - the only place where an alternative pub was available at the time. He added: “Our lives were turned upside down.”
Matthew Burden, prosecuting, described the lead-up to the incident, which came about due to “bad blood” between Stocks and Medley.
He said: “There is a background to the incident - Mr Medley is a regular attendee of the pub and prior to the incident a male had attended looking for Mr Medley making threats to kill.”
CCTV footage played to the court showed Medley fleeing into the pub’s interior and pulling out a machete on the night of the fight.
As Stocks flew into the pub after Medley he could be seen throwing a volley of punches at Medley as he lay on the floor.
Medley then struck out with the machete, slicing off the tip of Stocks’ thumb before being dragged away by the pub’s landlord.
Vicious Stocks also delivered at least five powerful punches to the landlady’s face and head before he could be removed from the pub.
Medley had six previous convictions for nine offences including ABH and battery, and Stocks had 27 convictions on his record for 39 offences including aggravated burglary and robbery, the court heard.
Dermot Hughes, defending Medley, said his client was “riddled with remorse” however he had not been “looking for trouble” on the night of the fight.
Aspinall, defending Stocks, said his client’s GP had stopped his sertraline medication days before the incident however he was now feeling “much better” after having it reinstated.
Addressing the pair, Judge Richardson told them: “Those who indulge in violence in public houses must expect to be punished.
“Violence anywhere is deplorable but it becomes even worse in a public space where people are supposed to enjoy themselves,
There was a high level of violence in this case. The entire incident was captured on CCTV. It is my misfortune as well as the misfortune of everyone else in this courtroom to view that footage.
“What was shown on CCTV and what each of you did was indeed sickening - it was grotesque violence and for two grown men to conduct violence in this way was shocking and deplorable.”
Medley, of Caperns Road, North Anston, and Stocks, of Greenwood avenue, Sheffield, were each jailed for two years.
Both men admitted affray. Medley, admitted possession of a bladed article and grievous bodily harm. Stocks admitted assault with actual bodily harm and criminal damage.