Shropshire Star

Father and son jailed over pub fight which left victim brain damaged

A father and son who were involved in a dispute at a pub that left a man in a coma have both been jailed.

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Victim Ian Taylor was hit by a single punch and fell to the ground striking the back of his head on the concrete leaving him in a pool of blood. Mr Taylor suffered brain damage and is still seriously ill today, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.

The incident in the beer garden at the Rose & Crown in Ketley, Telford, and an earlier confrontation in the pub were captured by security cameras in July last year.

The CCTV images show 25-year-old John Price had stripped to the waist and was posing like a boxer before landing the punch.

His 53-year-old father Andrew Price was seen remonstrating with the victim in the pub and later ushering him outside knowing that his son was intent on violence.

John Price was yesterday jailed for two-and-a-half years having admitted a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Police at the Rose & Crown in Ketley Bank

His father, who was convicted of the same offence after a trial, was given a 15-month sentence.

Both men, said to be travellers of no fixed address, had been upset by racist remarks by 48-year-old Mr Taylor, heard by other customers and staff, and the situation became inflamed when he refused to apologise.

Passing sentence, Judge Peter Barrie said there had been "terrible and tragic" consequences from the incident which had been a catastrophic event for the victim, who had barely responded since he was attacked.

He said that while the defendants were entitled to be offended by Mr Taylor's words – which were not said to them, but in their presence – they were no entitled to have resorted to violence.

Judge Barrie said that he rejected John Price's claim that Mr Taylor had been a willing participant in the fight and it was clear the victim not taken the threat seriously.

"He did not intend to fight, but you did and it was a deliberate blow to punish him for his remarks," he told the defendant.

He said that Andrew Price had encouraged Mr Taylor to go outside and had "given the okay" for his son to strike the victim.

It was accepted that the defendants did not intend for the victim to suffer the brain damage inflicted by him hitting his head on the hard ground.

Mr Kevin Greco, prosecuting, said that the CCTV had no sound but the gesturing by Andrew Price towards the victim "spoke volumes" and clearly indicates for John Price to go outside.

He said John Price ripped off his shirt and was bouncing on the balls of his feet and ready to fight and lands a single blow.

Mr Stephen Scully, for John Price, said his client had believed Mr Taylor was ready to fight but accepted losing his temper and was angry about the racist slur and regretted the unforeseen consequences of his single punch.

Mr Brendan Reedy, for Andrew Price, said his client had shown some restraint in the lead up to the assault and had not intended there to be any physical confrontation, but there had been some provocation.

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