Gang Who Attacked Yeadon Good Samaritan Are Locked Up (from Wharfedale Observer)

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Gang who attacked Yeadon Good Samaritan are locked up

By Jenny Loweth

Gary Hawley after the attack.

Three thugs have been locked up by a judge for carrying out a frenzied attack' on a chivalrous Good Samaritan who was beaten and repeatedly knifed.

Gary Hawley was punched, thumped and then slashed and stabbed seven times by the gang, Leeds Crown Court heard.

The 50-year-old, of Yeadon, had gone to the aid of three young women being crudely abused by a group of teenagers.

The court heard that Markus Lavelle and Reece Lupton were among the group hurling obscenities at the women from a flat in Yeadon High Street.

When Mr Hawley, who had called at a Chinese takeaway opposite, intervened the court heard that the two teenagers rushed down to fight him.

Prosecutor Tony Kelbrick told the court on Friday that Lupton, who is now 16 but was 15 at the time, punched Mr Hawley hard in the face.

Lavelle, now 17 but 16 at the time, then joined in the attack raining blows on Mr Hawley's head and body.

Mr Hawley described the assault as a frenzied attack' while he was sitting defenceless in his vehicle.

Markus Lavelle - 12 months' detention.

Jason Pears, 17, then involved himself in the attack after one of the crowd handed him a knife.

Pears stabbed and slashed Mr Hawley seven times to his chest and back.

Mr Hawley was left bleeding on the ground after he fell from his car. He was helped by passers-by but by the time he reached hospital he was unable to speak and spent three days undergoing treatment.

The court heard that although he had made a good recovery his mental health was impaired and he had suffered from vertigo since.

Pears, of Gipton Gate, Gipton, Leeds, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Lupton, of Hendford Drive, Barkerend, Bradford, admitted causing Mr Hawley actual bodily harm and stealing Mr Hawley's mobile phone.

Lavelle, of Henshaw Oval, Yeadon, also pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm.

Mr Kelbrick said the offence happened at 11.30pm on August 24 last year.

The three women were making their way home from a pub when Lupton and Lavelle joined in making lewd remarks and inviting them up to the flat.

Mr Hawley tried to stop them shouting abuse and was about to get into his car when Lavelle and Lupton ran out to confront him.

Mr Kelbrick said that after the stabbing Pears buried the knife, swapped his blood-stained shirt for one stolen off a washing line and then returned to the scene to try to wipe fingerprints off Mr Hawley's car.

After he was arrested he made no comment to the police except to say that he was bored by the interview.

The court heard that all three teenagers had previous convictions for violence.

Pears had committed burglary and assaulted a neighbour by beating him with a stick.

Lupton had been previously sentenced for robbery and assault and Lavelle for racially aggravated assault by spitting at someone.

John Elvidge, for Pears, conceded that the judge was bound to be revolted by the facts of the case.

But the defendant was egged on and provided with a weapon by others.

He was then so frightened and alarmed by his disgraceful and terrifying behaviour that he buried the knife and then tried to cover his tracks.

Sarah Barlow, for Lupton, said that the public would find the case revolting and very disturbing.

Lupton was the sole carer for his seriously sick father and had himself recently suffered a serious stabbing injury. He now wanted to return to school and then to join the Army.

John Boumphrey, for Lavelle, said he stupidly joined in the assault on Mr Hawley. He took a relatively minor part in the horrific incident and had stayed out of trouble since.

Judge Kerry McGill said that Mr Hawley had behaved in a gentlemanly and chivalrous fashion.

He had not wanted to fight but had been set about by Lupton and Lavelle.

"It was a disgusting, lawless assault on an innocent member of the public by two thugs in drink," said the judge.

Pears had then flipped' and joined in illustrating the danger of knives and the lawlessness of youth.

It was only by good luck that Mr Hawley was not more seriously injured.

The judge said Pears was a danger and he imposed a sentence of detention for public protection. This is an indefinite sentence and Pears must serve at least two years before he can be considered for parole.

When he is found to be no longer a risk he will be considered for release but must remain on licence for the rest of his life.

Lupton was sentenced to 18 months' detention and Lavelle to 12 months.

After the case Mr Hawley said: "They deserved everything they got. Now there is a closure to it and I hope I can get back to some sort of normality. I feel that justice has been done today."

Detective Constable Lee Fletcher, of Pudsey Weetwood police, said: "I am pleased with the decisions made by the court today.

"Gary Hawley was subjected to a vicious assault for no other reason than asking a group of youths to stop shouting at people in the street. I hope that the sentences given out today will in some way help Gary move on from this."

6:36pm Tuesday 15th May 2007

Reece Lupton - 18 months' detention
Jason Pears - indefinite detention.

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Comment

Posted by: paul, bradford and yeadon on 12:20pm Thu 17 May 07

scum of the earth and guess what they live off all off us,dole money and council houses...should lock-em up forever..

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