Man “bottled” during Elland street attack

The violence erupted after drunken Lee Hirst, 28, confronted James Garside on Elinsore Avenue and asked him: ”Do you know who I am?”

Mr Garside said he knew it was Lee Hirst, but he was then punched sparking an attack by the group of males who had been walking with Hirst.

Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed said Mr Garside tried to flee after hearing someone say they were going to stab him, but he fell as he ran down nearby Victoria Road and was then surrounded by two or three males.

Bradford Crown Court heard that among that group was then 18-year-old Jordan Bland who used a beer bottle he was carrying to hit Mr Garside over the head.

Mr Bashir said others in the group continued to kick and punch Mr Garside while he was on the ground and he eventually became unconscious.

“When he regained consciousness he was still lying in the road, but he was bleeding and in a lot of pain,” said Mr Ahmed.

Following the attack last October Mr Garside managed to get back to his home where he was assisted by his father.

At hospital he was found to have suffered a variety of cuts, bruises and swellings, but fortunately no medical intervention was required.

As Mr Garside was being attacked his friend Michael Chappel, who had sought refuge in his car, was confronted by Hirst and during a struggle over his car keys the complainant suffered a fractured finger.

Hirst, who had previous convictions for similar offences of street violence, was jailed for a total of 60 weeks after he admitted offences assault in relation to Mr Garside and common assault in respect of Mr Chappel.

Judge Savill told Hirst, of Winchester House, Sowerby Bridge, that had been the “catalyst” for the violence that night and he said his previous record of similar offending was one of the highly aggravating features of the case.

The judge noted that some of Hirst’s previous convictions had also involved him being drunk and in a group which meted out unprovoked and unwarranted violence to members of the public.

Bland, now 19, of South Lane, Elland, was sent to a young offenders institution for a year after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Garside.

The court heard that the teenager had gone to the police to admit what he had done that night and Judge Savill said he had given careful consideration as to whether he should suspend his sentence.

But he said the circumstances of the attack and the fact that a bottle had been used meant Bland had to serve his sentence immediately.