Two thugs launched an unprovoked and violent attack on a group of Durham University students who were on their way to a ball.
Jordan Howey, 24, and Stevie Holliday, 30, attacked the group of students in Durham city centre, with Howey going on to spray ammonia in the face of a witness who intervened in the incident. The attack, which was carried out on November 25 last year, happened after the pair were kicked out of a nearby Tesco.
On Wednesday, Howey, of no fixed address, and Holliday, of Hunter House, Walker, Newcastle, appeared at Durham Crown Court via link. Howey was sentenced for two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of a charge relating to the spraying of a noxious substance.
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Holliday was sentenced for criminal damage, two counts of assault by beating and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Both men had pleaded guilty to the charges.
The court heard that the offending began at a Tesco on Market Place shortly before 8pm when Howey was kicked out for being drunk as he "struggled with a bottle of tequila". Holliday was also asked to leave and so threw a punch which damaged a Tesco sign, smashing it, as he left. It was then that the pair launched their attack on three passing students who were wearing suits as they walked along Saddler Street.
Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said: "Three Durham University students were walking through the city centre on their way to the castle to attend a ball. They noticed the defendants being rowdy to passers-by and as they passed, the defendants turned on them."
Holliday "aimed a kick" but missed one student, before punching him a number of times in the face as Howey jumped in and asked, "How are you going to stop us?" The student was knocked to the floor and was then kicked to the body and was struck a few more times as he got back to his feet.
The student - who heard one of the defendants shout "spray him" during the attack - went to hospital after he sustained bruising to his face and was unable to properly chew food for weeks.
Mr Newcombe said that the second student to be attacked was kicked by Holliday as Howey asked "what he was going to do". When the student insisted he didn't want any trouble, Holliday approached again and punched him in the head. The victim then ran to the nearby Library bar where he told a doorman what was going on.
In a statement, the student said he suffered "psychological trauma" and sometimes has an "intense fear and dread" when in public.
The third student was also confronted and kicked by one of the defendants before being punched in the head by Holliday. Mr Newcombe said the student sustained swelling to his temple and had to go to A&E.
As the students were being attacked, a witness who was in the Blue Eye bar saw what was happening and intervened in the incident and punched Howey to the floor. Mr Newcombe said the "Good Samaritan" was then followed by the two, saying: "He saw Howey carrying something in his hands and so picked up a chair and threw it at him. Howey then squirted ammonia into the victim's face, causing burning and searing pain."
The man - who thought he'd been sprayed with acid - was then taken to hospital for treatment but sustained no serious injury. Following that attack, Howey and Holliday continued to walk through the city centre and crossed another student who was making his way to Hatfield College.
Mr Newcombe said: "Howey said 'stop looking at me' and punched him and ran off. The man was left with a bloodied nose and a tooth had been knocked out of place." Both Holliday and Howey were arrested soon after after their attacks were caught on CCTV.
Rachel Hedworth, defending Holliday - who had six previous convictions for nine offences, including assault and dangerous driving - said he had shown "complete and utter remorse". She said: "He is absolutely sickened by what he has seen on CCTV and has no excuse for what happened. He has struggled with addiction over the years."
Ms Hedworth said that following the death of a best friend, Holliday reverted back to "what he sought comfort in" and began "consuming a large amount of alcohol". She added he has a young child and suffers from social anxiety and depression.
Richard Bloomfield, defending Howey - who is also a father - said he had pleaded guilty at an early opportunity and was homeless at the time of the attacks. He said: "He was full of illegal prescription drugs and alcohol, which led him to behave in the way that he did. He knows it was shameful."
Sentencing the pair, Judge James Adkin jailed Howey for four years and jailed Holliday for 24 months.
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