Students lose university places and careers after Wind Street attack on man

Picture of Wind Street, a pedestrianised street lined with bars and takeaways
-Credit: (Image: John Myers)


Two students have lost their university places - and likely their chosen careers - after a "drunken, persistent, merciless and cowardly" attack on a man during during a night out, a court has heard. The vicitm suffered a broken nose and other facial injures after being punching and kicked in the street.

Swansea Crown Court heard James Harrison and Oska Powell had both been studying occupational therapy at Swansea University when they carried out the attack on the city's Wind Street. Neither defendant was able to continue their studies following the incident, with an advocate for one of them telling the court his client had been "effectively expelled" from university.

Tom Scapens, prosecuting, said the assault happened on the night of October 29 last year as the victim was out in Swansea city centre with friends celebrating Halloween and a victory for his rugby team. He said during the course of the evening there was some "banter" between the victim and the defendants but as far as the complainant believed the matter went no further than that. But the prosecutor said there was clearly an "issue" between the parties "which gave rise to the defendant Powell wanting to engage some form of physical revenge".

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The court heard that in the early hours of the following morning the complaint was alone and on his phone in the lane which runs alongside the Griffin pub when Powell approached him, pushed him over, and then began kicking and punching him. At that point Harrison - who had been buying a takeaway and who was dressed in a "Bay Watch-style fancy dress costume" - arrived on the scene and joined the assault, kicking the victim in the head as he lay on the floor against a wall. Members of the public tried to intervene to stop the assault but the pair continued their attack before walking off.

The court heard that police officers subsequently came across the injured man in the lane but due to his level of intoxication he was unable to provide many details of what happened or of who had attacked him. Officers contacted the Swansea CCTV control room and footage from the areas was reviewed. The court heard the suspects were identified and officers began to search for them - the pair were spotted a short time later queuing for a taxi on nearby Castle Square and detained.

Meanwhile the victim had been taken to Morriston Hospital where doctors found he had a broken and deviated nose, a fractured eye socket, swollen lips, a wound to the inside of the mouth and gum, and cuts and grazes to his face and hands. In an impact statement which was read to the court the victim said he had been unable to play rugby after the assault which was a game he enjoyed not just for the sport itself but for its social side too. He said he had been left feeling less safe as a result of what happened on the night in question. For the latest court reports, sign up to our crime newsletter here

The court heard that Powell answered "no comment" to all questions asked during his police interview while Harrison admitted his involvement in the assault. Harrison said the complainant had "ruffled" his friend's hair and broken his neck chain earlier in the evening, and he said after buying a takeaway he had see the two men brawling and went to protect Powell He said he acted "in the heat of the moment".

James Harrison, aged 19, of Tramore, County Waterford, Ireland, and Oskar Powell, also aged 19, of Colchester Road, Wivenhoe, Essex, had both previously pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm when they appeared in the dock for sentencing. Neither have any previous convictions.

Emily Bennet, for Harrison, said the defendant had never troubled the courts before, and she said said letters before the court from family members spoke to his many positive qualities. She said following the incident Harrison had been unable to continue his studies in Swansea and returned home to Ireland where he had worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor while rethinking his career. The barrister said Harrison had enrolled on a medical engineering degree at Limerick University and she invited the court to suspend the custodial sentence which was due.

Giles Hayes, for Powell, said living and studying in Swansea had been the defendant's first time away from home. He said the defendant was "effectively expelled" from university following the conviction and had returned home to Essex where he had to begin the process of rebuilding his life and his career. He said his client was now training as a carpenter. The advocate said Powell was drunk on the night in question but did not seek to make excuses for his actions, and he had made it clear to the defendant "how this court views night-time disorder and violence in Swansea city centre".

Judge Paul Thomas KC told the defendants that in October last year they had subjected their victim to a "drunken, persistent, merciless and cowardly joint-attack" which left the man with facial injuries. He said while the defendants had to be punished by the courts for their actions it seemed to him that "by dint of their own actions" the real punishment had been the pair "messing up their university placements" and likely losing the careers they had wanted to pursue. With a one-third discount for his guilty plea Powell was sentenced to 16 months in prison suspended for two years and was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work, complete a rehabilitation course, and abide by an electronically-monitored alcohol abstinence requirement for the next 120 days. The judge said he would impose a similar length of sentence on Harrison but would postpone passing sentence for two weeks to allow enquiries to be made with the probation authorities in Ireland about imposing the community-based requirements in that country.

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