Gang ‘carried out sustained assault’ in Shrewsbury street
A gang known as the Sundorne Bad Boys launched a “violent and sustained” attack on a man in a Shrewsbury street, a court heard.
Daniel Page, 21, Thomas Barnes, 20, Demi Jennings, 22, Callum Parsons, 18, and a 17-year-old youth, all of Shrewsbury, are standing trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court charged with affray in June 2016.
Opening the case, prosecutor Antony Longworth said the attack happened in the Coton Hill area of the town.
The court heard Alex Owen, who had been visiting a friend, was headbutted, punched, kicked and possibly hit with metal bars.
Mr Longworth said the defendants were part of a larger group, with each of them playing a part in the attack on the 21-year-old.
He said a girl, who had been speaking to Mr Owen, had sent text messages and “told lies” to summon the group to the area in order to cause trouble.
Mr Longworth told the jury that it was an “organised attack” and some or all of the group regarded themselves as members of the gang, Sundorne Bad Boys, or SBB.
He said it was another member of the group who started the attack by headbutting Mr Owen.
Mr Longworth told the court: “The prosecution’s case is that each of these defendants were part of that group that attacked.
“Demi Jennings kept watch and they attacked as a group. It was a violent, sustained attack.”
He said Mr Owen managed to escape and heard the group chanting “We are the SBB”.
Confrontation
Police were called and the defendants were arrested.
Mr Longworth said when Page was interviewed he said he had been in the area by accident and was not part of the gang.
The court was told Barnes said he went to the scene with a friend but did not know there was going to be a confrontation.
The youth gave a ‘no comment’ interview while Jennings and Parsons also denied having anything to do with the attack.
Giving evidence, Mr Owen told the jury he had gone to visit a friend on June 9, 2016 to help him work on a car.
Mr Owen said he saw a group of up to 20 people arrive and was then headbutted, punched, kicked and at one stage felt three hard blows to the back of his head.
The court was told he suffered bruising, markings and there was tenderness and swelling to his cheek and jaw.
Page, of Summer Gardens; Barnes, of White House Gardens; Jennings, of New Park Road; Parsons, of Wingfield Close, and the youth, also from the Shrewsbury area, each deny a charge of affray.
The trial continues.
