Pair jailed after breaking man's arm in Sankey Valley Park attack

Lee Ashton, 19, of Plumtree Avenue, Bewsey, and Stephen Leah, 20, of Southworth Avenue, Bewsey, were sentenced to a combined total of 43 months in custody for the attack on March 19.

Speaking at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, prosecutor Edmund Haygarth said the dispute began on March 18 when a man found his motocross bike had been stolen.

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The next day he, his wife and his friend, the victim, visited Sankey Valley looking for the bike.

Sankey Valley Park

At approximately 3pm, the man came across Ashton and Leah and accused Ashton of stealing the bike. They were not responsible for the theft, the court heard.

Ashton denied and started to walk away when the man grabbed him and threw him into a bush, calling off the search for the bike to pick his children up from school.

The victim then decided to continue the search on his friend's behalf when Ashton and Leah recognised him from his involvement in the accusation against them.

Leah pulled him from his bike and both him and Ashton started to kick him.

The victim's left arm was stamped on before Ashton and Leah left him on the ground.

Ashton also rode off on the victim's bike.

The victim was taken to Warrington Hospital where it was confirmed that his left forearm was broken.

Anna Price, defending Ashton, said this was a single incident and although it consisted of multiple blows, it was over in a matter of seconds.

Ashton was arrested on April 12 and has been in custody since, using the time to undertake a maths course, craft courses and a course enabling him to work on a building site.

Prior to the incident he was accused of stealing the motocross bike by a group containing the victim which contributed to his anger but he showed genuine remorse.

Liverpool Crown Court

Nicholas Walker, defending Leah, said Leah gave a prompt guilty plea.

He suffered a troubled youth with no real role models or education past the age of 14.

While he was in custody for breaching court orders he developed skills to fill in the gaps in his education and these are signs that he has grown up.

He also showed remorse and wanted to be able to continue this education.

Sentencing, Judge Neil Flewitt, said: "The victim and his friend went in search of the people who had stolen the motocross bike and they believed you were responsible.

"They behaved somewhat aggressively but that is no excuse for what you did.

"When the victim was alone in the park you assaulted him. One of you stamped on his arm causing a fracture."

Judge Flewitt accepted that both were remorseful and that this sort of violence was out of character for them

He continued: “This was an attack by two people and in my judgement this incident falls into a repeated or sustained attack.

“The principal mitigation is your youth.

"Leah you pulled the victim off his bike but Ashton you then stole the bike."

Ashton was sentenced to 23 months in custody with a two-month concurrent sentence for theft.

Leah was sentenced to 20 months in custody.

Both Ashton and Leah will serve half in prison and half on licence.

They are also subject to a three year restraining order to prohibit them from contacting the victims.