Suspended sentence for Horsham student who knocked man out and broke his jaw in night club fight

Prosecutor Simranjit Kamal told Gloucester Crown Court yesterday (January 25) that Vince Everett, 21, of Blunts Way, had booked a reserved booth at the Atik nightclub in Gloucester on Saturday January 19, 2019.

“However, when Everett arrived at the club in Eastgate Street he found Mr Byran Davis sitting in the booth that he had reserved with a friend,” said Ms Kamal.

“A heated argument then began, which led to a fight during which Mr Davis was knocked unconscious. He suffered a broken jaw and cheek bone and a broken wrist.

“Everett admitted in interview that the fight began with him defending himself but said it had gone too far.

“He said that he asked both his friends and Mr Davis’ friends to leave and he was attacked. He then struck his attacker and went further than what was necessary in self defence, he said.”

In a victim statement Mr Davis said that he suffered from a condition of thinning blood and was concerned that if he were struck he could become seriously ill. He also struggled to eat solid foods until his jaw healed.

Alistair Haggerty, defending, said that at the time of the incident – two years ago – Everett, a Hartpury College student, had just turned 19, but he wasn’t charged until 18 months later and the first hearing at court was not until last month, December 2020.

Mr Haggerty said: “This is not a complicated case. Everett does admit that he did go too far in retaliation. He has had this case hanging over him while he has been a student at Hartpury College.

“He is under no illusions about the seriousness of his offending. He was polite to both sets of friends when he asked them to leave the scene. He was a teenager who acted in an immature manner.

“Because of the delay in this case coming to court he has his own physiological issues and has sought professional help. He has shown genuine remorse and has even apprehended burglars for the police in the past.

“He is a talented sportsman and hopes to become a coach or a teacher in the future.

“I’m confident he will not be appearing before the courts again. He is a young man who made a foolish decision while growing up. “

Everett pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Byran Davis in Gloucester on January 19 2019.

The Judge, Recorder Kate Brunner QC, said to Everett: “The public finds violence like this abhorrent, especially between drunken young men.

“The violence often causes profound physical and physiological in the victims, which is exactly what happened in this case.

“I accept it began with you acting in self defence, but it resulted in a sustained attack.

“Alcohol was undoubtedly a factor, however you are genuinely remorseful. I have read reports that state this incident was out of character.

“However the lapse of time of two years in bringing this case to court is totally unacceptable.

“In my view this has nothing to do with the Covid-19 pandemic and it is almost incomprehensible that having admitted what you have done, you have had to wait 18 months to be charged.

“I have not been given explanation for this today. It is incomprehensible that having admitted your guilt and responsibility to the violent assault that you were placed into a period of uncertainty for a year-and-a-half.

“You are genuinely not prone to violence and there has been no further offending, which enables me to suspend the sentence.”

The judge imposed a ten month prison sentence, suspended for 15 months and ordered him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay a victim surcharge.

“Don’t do it again,” the judge added: “I feel that you have learn your lesson and I am sure you will not be going down this road again.”