Jury out on ‘mob attack’

THE jury at the trial of a gang accused of carrying a "brutal" mob assault on a Wrecclesham man causing him to suffer a heart attack retired on Wednesday to consider it's verdict. The six lads in the dock have denied they took weapons to the scene where a bitter love feud was to be resolved in a 'one-on-one' fight. The group of young men were allegedly rounded up by Billy Stewart who arranged a showdown with his girlfriend's ex-partner Paul Newington in the early hours of the morning. They drove from an Aldershot pub in two cars and descended on Green Lane, Farnham, at 1am, parking outside the nearby Bon East restaurant - out of sight of the complainant's house. Frank Donnelly - Mr Newington's step-father - is said to have approached them as they gathered outside his house. He tried to head them off before a 17-year-old, who can not be named for legal reasons, smacked him with an iron bar, Guildford Crown Court heard. A pack of up to 10 men allegedly waded in with weapons including a golf club and a belt, leaving Mr Donnelly, aged in his 50s, lying on the ground in a pool of blood with serious injuries to his face, hands, arms, legs and back. Mr Donnelly, who had a coronary condition and walked with a stick, suffered a heart attack which paramedics say occurred as a direct result of the assault. Neighbour Kevin Bates, also in his 50s, was allegedly attacked as he tried to help Mr Donnelly, but escaped with minor injuries. One of the men is said to have used a weapon to smash his way into the house breaking through the PVC front door before Mr Newington grabbed an ornamental Samurai sword off the wall and chased him away. It led to four Aldershot men - Nicolas Cook, 21, of Tongham Road, Luke Shaw, 18, of St Michaels Park, Scott Norris, 19, of Willow Way, and Louis Kamara, 19, of The Grove - along with Daniel O'Shea, 25, of Yeomans Road, Tongham, and a 17-year-old from Farnborough, facing trial. They all deny conspiracy to commit violent disorder, and the un-named youth also faces two further charges of grievous bodily harm with intent and perverting the course of justice. Robin Sellers, prosecuting, told the jury in his closing speech last week that the defendants - who admitted they were at the scene - had carried out a "sustained, brutal and continuing assaul" on Mr Donnelly. But he said they claimed "somebody else must have done it" and were "at the back following the others", adding: "It is absolutely astonishing how so many people failed to see what was happening when they were right there." He said: "All of these defendants say they were there yet did not see it and can not name the people who were responsible for it. "The crown's case is there was no explanation that could be innocently put as to why they were there. "Presence at the scene of the crime does not necessarily make you guilty, but in this case, weight in numbers was what this was about. "It was to be group intimidation, group threats, group violence." The jury heard the "chilling" 999 call Caroline Donnelly made as her husband was allegedly beaten by a violent mob outside her house. Mr Sellers said the hysterical conversation with the police operator revealed "the true horror" of the attack as the terrified woman was forced to lock her husband out to stop the yobs coming through her front door. The court heard how the men had been drinking in a pub in Aldershot on July 21, 2006, when they received a message to go to a house in Farnham. Mr Sellers told the jury they travelled to the town in two cars to help pal Mr Stewart, of Weybourne Close, Farnham, in his fight with Mr Newington. He said that police later found blood on the 17- year-old defendant's trainer proving he was "in the thick of it, kicking and stamping on Frank Donnelly when he was on the ground". The jury heard that the teenager sent text messages to Mr Kamara asking him to tell cops they had been going to a party when he was attacked with a sword. Mr Sellers said some of the defendants later wrote letters or text messages to pals revealing the events of that night. Mr O'Shea said they had gone for a fight with some boys when three men burst out with a sword and "ninja sticks". He admitted Mr Norris hit the swordsman with a belt causing him to flee leaving the other two men to be beaten up, the jury heard. The defendants were arrested and interviewed between July and September 2006 and answered no comment or wrote prepared statements in police interviews.