Families flee pub as armed men burst in chasing and attacking victim

People fled from their village pub after two men armed with a knife and a broken pool cue burst in with a third man - whom they were attacking. The incident happened at around 6pm on a Tuesday evening when several families were in the Old Crown Inn in the village of Fleckney, just south of Leicester.

The moment the victim burst in, followed by the two attackers, was caught on the pub's CCTV. Jed Sykes, 29, and his accomplice, were seen to punch the man, who defended himself with a pub chair, as people rushed out into the street to get away.

Several villagers in Fleckney had already called Leicestershire Police earlier after seeing the two attackers knock the other man to the ground outside the nearby Co-op. At Leicester Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, June 26, where Sykes pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon and using threatening behaviour with intent to cause fear of violence, prosecutor Sally Bedford explained what happened.

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She said: "It was a serious violent incident. This defendant was armed with a pool cue but it's a joint enterprise and his co-defendant was armed with a knife.

"The events unfolded on October 24 last year at about 6pm when there were a number of 999 calls about a fight and people with weapons near the Old Crown and the Co-op in the centre of the village.

"One woman called the police and said two aggressive males were chasing a third male and one had a knife and the other had a pool cue. The man being pursued fell to the ground in front of her and this defendant and his accomplice were seen to thrown punches.

"The victim was able to get up and tried to get away to the pub. All three burst into the pub.

"There were young people and families and all sorts of people in the pub. Within the pub, the two defendants continued to pursue the male.

"There are thrusting motions made by the man with the knife. Both defendants attacked the male and he's tried to defend himself, picking up furniture.

"They pursue him through the pub and people are scattering. The police arrive and the incident comes to a close."

Raza Sakhi, representing Sykes, of Elizabeth Road, 29, Fleckney, said the victim had himself been armed with a knife, which fell out of his pocket when he was knocked to the floor in the pub. He added that the broken pool cue Sykes was wielding had been taken from the victim, who had been the first to wield it.

The magistrates decided the incident was too serious for them to deal with and should go to Leicester Crown Court. The chair of the bench, Gareth Roberts, said: "Having looked at the CCTV we do believe the sentencing powers of this court are not sufficient to deal with this matter."

Magistrates only have the power to jail people for up to six months. The court heard that Sykes's co-defendant was being dealt with separately and has already been sent to the crown court.

It is expected both men will be sentenced together at Leicester Crown Court at a future date.