Thuggish trio launch drunken gang attack on man in Wetherspoon pub in Bingham

Two young brothers and their friend attacked a man during a drunken pub fight in Bingham. Nottingham Crown Court heard how the victim suffered a swollen face after being assaulted by Harrison Archer, James Archer and Aaron Booth inside the Wetherspoon-owned Butter Cross.

After a call went up that the police had arrived, the thuggish trio ran from the scene and were not arrested until two months later following a police investigation. Now they have each been spared immediate custody for the violence they meted out.

Handing each of them suspended sentences, Judge Nirmal Shant KC said: “This was the targeting of an individual by a group. This was in a public area and incidents like this can cause a wider disturbance.”

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Matt Hayes, prosecuting, said the incident took place inside the Market Place boozer at around 1am on January 28, 2023. He said staff were trying to close the pub and were attempting to move the customers out when the ruckus began.

The prosecutor said a group of five men, including the three defendants, were “shouting and singing” and one of them threw a bottle in the direction of the victim and his friend. Mr Hayes said: “(The victim) said ‘what’s with the aggro?’ and matters escalated from there with one of the defendants approaching him saying ‘do you want to go?’

“He was punched and punched back in self-defence and so they all started hitting him. He estimates he was hit around six times forcing him to the floor.

“They continued hitting him while he was on the floor about four more times when someone shouted ‘police are here’ and the defendants ran off.”

Each of the men was tracked down from CCTV and they all later pleaded guilty to affray.

Harrison Archer, 21, of Lowdham Road, Gunthorpe, was jailed for eight months, suspended for two years and was ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work and pay £150 costs. Simon Eckersley, mitigating, said: “This was 18 months ago and there is no suggestion of any offending since.”

James Archer, 19, of the same address as his brother, was also handed an eight-month prison term, suspended for two years and was ordered to carry out 180 hours unpaid work and pay £150 costs. Almas Ben-Aribia, his barrister, said her client is a self-employed roofer, has no previous convictions and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

And Booth, 26, of HMP Lincoln, who has previous convictions including one for hare coursing, was handed a 10-month jail sentence, suspended for two years,with 200 hours unpaid work and £150 costs.

Mark Savage, mitigating, said his client is also a self-employed roofer and father of a boy who turned two earlier this week. He said: “He would like to write a letter of apology to the victim in this case.”

Each of the men were also ordered to pay the victim £100 compensation.