Two men suffered serious injuries after they were viciously attacked in the street when a fight broke out following an earlier confrontation with a large group of other revellers inside a nightclub. The trouble flared after an “issue developed” between them and it escalated outside after the larger group “targeted” and followed the two men.
One of the victims had been left with a skull fracture and bleeding on the brain and they were left suffering nightmares and not wanting to leave their homes, a court heard. Benjamin Jones-Young, 28, of Woodhall Street, east Hull, and Alfie Green, 19, of Jervis Road, east Hull, as well as Chiratcha Sripheng, 26, of Abbey Way, Hull, and Harley Smith, 20, of Wexford Avenue, east Hull, all admitted an offence of affray on September 22, 2024.
Andrew Nixon, prosecuting, told Hull Crown Court that two men were in a nightclub in the city. A large group of others were also there and an “issue developed” between the two men and the group.
The large group left the premises but those who were among it waited outside. The group of nightclubbers followed the two men. “There was an exchange of words and a fight broke out,” said Mr Nixon.
The group “targeted” the two men and Sripheng accepted that he was involved in the punching. Green punched both of them.
The two men ended up on the ground. The fight was shown on CCTV pictures. “The two male victims managed to get up and run,” said Mr Nixon.
They both went to Hull Royal Infirmary for treatment to their injuries. One of the men was more badly injured than the other and suffered a fracture to the back of his skull bone and bleeding on the brain.
One of them had been left not wanting to go to Hull city centre and he had to have time off work. The other man suffered severe pain, constant headaches and not being able to move his head or neck properly.
“He kept having nightmares about the incident,” said Mr Nixon. They were “vivid” and he was affected by loud noises. “He was scared to leave the house,” said Mr Nixon.
The case was adjourned for more information about the long-term consequences of the injuries. But at a resumed hearing before Grimsby Crown Court, the court was told that the victims had declined to cooperate and there were no further details about the consequences of their injuries.
All four men made no comment to questions during police interview. Jones-Young had a previous conviction for drink-driving in 2019 as well as a caution for assault in 2024. Sripheng had a conviction for stalking an ex-girlfriend from May 2024. Green and Smith had no previous convictions.
Deputy circuit judge Timothy Clayson said: “It was the targeting of individuals by a group in a busy public area. It was prolonged.”
It was a serious incident of violence and the two victims suffered serious injuries, at least initially. They had since suffered health problems.
The four men had no serious previous convictions and there were positive pre-sentence reports and references for them. They had all pleaded guilty at an early stage.
The offences took place nearly two years ago and they had shown genuine remorse. Before entering court, he was thinking of immediate custodial sentences but he had been persuaded by the mitigation to suspend them.
Steven Garth, mitigating, said that Sripheng was “utterly ashamed” of himself. “He was in drink and had a lot on his mind at the time,” said Mr Garth.
“The defendant did not instigate the offending but he got drawn into it.” There had been no trouble since and he had been assessed as being a low risk of reoffending.
He had a background in engineering and he had a job offer awaiting him. References spoke highly of him.
The four men were each given an 18-month suspended custodial sentence, with 200 hours’ unpaid work and five days’ rehabilitation. They must pay a £187 victims’ surcharge.
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