Teenager Sentenced Following Attack in Devon Nightclub
29 year old Andrew Mason suffered a fractured skull and was left in a coma for ten days after he was punched in the face by 19 year old Maxwell Banbury at a nightclub in Devon.
Attack
Recently released CCTV footage shows how Mr Banbury walked up to Mr Mason, hit him in the head and then calmly walks back to his seat to finish his drink. Mr Banbury can then be seen leaving with his girlfriend, apparently telling bar staff ‘I saw him feeling up my girl’.
The attack took place at the Fever & Boutique nightclub in Barnstaple, Devon in March 2015 and Mr Mason, of Braunton, Devon is still suffering neurological damage from the incident.
Phil Lawes, Detective Constable at Devon and Cornwall Police, has said the attack was ‘totally unprovoked with no justification whatsoever’. He went on to say:
“The severity of this assault shockingly illustrates how a single punch can cause very serious injuries – and the consequences of this attack could have been much worse.”
Sentencing
Following the attack, Mr Banbury has admitted to causing grievous bodily harm and has been sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for 2 years. He was also ordered to pay £1000 compensation to Mr Mason and instructed to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work.
Exeter Crown Court heard how Mr Banbury set upon Mr Mason as he wrongly believed he had been dancing with his girlfriend.
Mr Banbury apparently apologised for his actions during a police interview, claiming to police he ‘saw total red mist’ and ‘lost my rag’, later writing on Facebook ‘Of course I never meant to do what I did. It was a stupid decision’.
After originally being taken to North Devon District Hospital, Mr Mason was then transferred to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where he spent ten days in ICU in a coma. In his victim impact statement, Mr Mason described how the attack has resulted in his life being ‘a living nightmare’, with a constant worry of having seizures following the injuries suffered.
Suspending Mr Banbury’s sentence, Judge Francis Gilbert QC explained that this was due to his satisfaction that the attack was completely out of character, saying:
“The figure of £1,000 compensation is completely nominal, given the very serious damage you did to him.”
Criminal Injury – Expert Advice
We understand that if you have been subjected to an act of violence, your thoughts will turn to making a full recovery – compensation will likely be the last thing on your mind.
There is however a government scheme that provides compensation to victims or their families at this tragic time. The scheme is called CICA (The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority). Once your claim is accepted by Hampson Hughes Solicitors, we will liaise with CICA on your behalf.
If you would like expert advice on this type of case, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today on 0800 888 6888 or email
Source: Mail Online
