The victim and a woman who was with him were also assaulted during a second nasty confrontation, a court heard
A brutal drug debt “enforcer” joined in a vicious punishment “beating” on a terrified man and kicked him with such “ferocity” that the victim was knocked unconscious. A violent accomplice attacked the man with a golf club and a cosh.
The victim and a woman who was with him were also assaulted during a second nasty confrontation. The frightened woman later received a telephone call on behalf of the drugs gang offering her £1,000 to drop the charges, Hull Crown Court heard.
Ryan Elton, 29, of Ilthorpe, Orchard Park estate, north Hull, admitted two offences of assault causing actual bodily harm and another of assault. Nathan Heath, 31, of Hawthorn Avenue, west Hull, admitted perverting the course of justice and being concerned in supplying heroin and crack cocaine.
Ben Hammersley, prosecuting, said that the couple were involved in storing drugs and police seized a haul of drugs from their home in 38th Avenue in February this year. On May 16, Elton and others tried to “enforce” a £1,500 drugs debt because they blamed the couple for the drugs being seized.
The man was approached by two men, one of them Elton, and he was warned: “I’m going to get you.” Elton’s accomplice was armed with a golf club and a cosh and he attacked the man with them, hitting him on the head and body.
Elton joined in and he kicked him to the head, leaving him briefly unconscious. The attackers helped him to his feet and he was able to make his way home. He suffered bruises, an ambulance was called and the man was put inside it but he left before being treated.
On May 25, Elton approached the same couple on an electric bike. He was wearing a mask or balaclava. He made threats to the man. He hit the woman on the back of her leg with a large red pole. She fell to the ground and he ran over her leg.
The man took refuge in a garden and Elton repeatedly punched him over the drug debt. The attack ended when Elton realised that the woman had alerted the police. Elton was arrested on June 5.
The couple were left in great fear at Elton’s actions. On June 30, three weeks after statements were made to the police, Heath telephoned the woman and he asked her how the hotel was that the couple had been moved to – making it clear that he knew where they were living.
Heath told her that other people had contacted him and that he was just a messenger. He told her: “They say: Will you take a grand to drop the charges?” He offered her £1,000, leaving her upset.
On July 16, plainclothes police in Orchard Park spotted Heath, who had been circulated as wanted in connection with the telephone call to the woman. He was found in a bookmakers shop and a mobile phone was spotted on the floor near where he was sitting.
There were bulk marketing messages for the supply of heroin and crack cocaine. No drugs were found. Elton had convictions for 10 previous offences and Heath for 52 offences, including being jailed in February last year for four years and 10 months for drugs offences.
Hannah Turner, mitigating, said that it was Elton’s accomplice who had the weapons that were used. Elton got involved in the assault later when the man was on the ground. Elton kicked him.
“That was the extent of his involvement in that,” said Miss Turner. “He has been out of trouble since 2022. He has nothing on his record for violence.” Elton was “honouring drug debts”.
He got involved after turning to drinking and taking drugs himself. He was a fisherman by trade and he had a skipper’s licence for a number of years. “When he is released from custody, he plans to return to that,” said Miss Turner.
Benjamin Donnell, representing Heath, said that the defendant was “pleasant” during the telephone call to the woman and this might have indicated the relationship that they had over drugs. He was acting on behalf of others higher up the chain and he was very much the messenger.
“He was assaulted by others higher up the chain,” said Mr Donnell. “One wonders what would have happened to Heath if he had not followed the orders of others higher up the chain.
“He knows that he can’t continue in this cycle of going into custody and finding himself in situations where he is having to deal drugs to pay off debts. He is on a constant conveyor belt in and out of custody.
“He intends, on his release, to remove himself from the estate. He wants to get gainful employment and not find himself in this situation again.” Heath had two children aged 15 and seven.
Judge John Thackray KC said: “This case revolves around the murky world of drug use – drug users and drug suppliers. Class A drugs destroy communities and destroy lives. It must be making the lives of those who live there a misery if there are people like you supplying drugs and enforcing debts.”
The male victim had a “good beating” with the weapons. Judge Thackray told Elton: “You kicked him to the head with such ferocity that you made him unconscious.
“It was persistent, it was prolonged. There were blows to the head. It was group action and it involved enforcing debts.”
Elton was jailed for three years and Heath was locked up for four years. They were each given a 10-year restraining order.