Brothers kicked unconscious victim in the head during attack

Luke Edwards Patrick Anderson and Liam Dion Anderson launched the attack on the complainant at Pier Approach after recognising him as a man who was a “mate” of someone they had a dispute with earlier that evening.

Between them, the brothers dished out multiple blows upon the man in the form of punches, kicks and stamps.

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Sentencing judge Recorder Malcolm Gibney said: “That sort of behaviour, wanton and gratuitous violence, is wholly unacceptable.”

He added: “It is only a matter of luck rather than judgement on behalf of both of you that the victim did not suffer very serious injuries indeed.”

Prosecuting, Holly Fagan told a Bournemouth Crown Court hearing on October 28 that the complainant had been attending a networking event at Quay West on Bournemouth Pier on September 2 last year.

Ms Fagan said earlier in the evening the complainant and a colleague he had gone to the event with went outside after hearing a friend of the colleague was involved in some form of altercation.

The court heard this man had made a comment, which the judge described as “trivial”, about a grandparent of the Anderson’s and they took offence.

Having been unable to locate this friend, the complainant and his colleague returned to the networking event.

The complainant left the event shortly before 10pm and he was approached by the brothers outside Aruba at Pier Approach. He heard one of the defendants say they he was a “mate” of the man who it was believed had been involved in the earlier altercation. They proceed to carry out the attack, with multiple punches and kicks.

“He didn’t have any recollection of the assault due to the head injury he suffered,” Ms Fagan said.

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The prosecutor said a witness described one of the strikes from Luke Anderson being like he was trying to kick a football for a penalty kick, while a blow from Liam Anderson was “trying to kick his head off”.

Ms Fagan played CCTV footage of the incident to the court.

She confirmed the complainant was completely incapacitated on the floor when they ran up and kicked him.

The complainant suffered swelling, cuts and bruising, which forced him to take the following day off work.

Both defendants, of Perth Close, Christchurch, gave no comment to questions about the assault when interviewed. When he was arrested on October 27, Liam Anderson was found to be in possession of a small amount of cannabis.

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Victim's statement

In a victim personal statement, the complainant said: “I am not a violent person and I know I would not have provoked something of this nature.”

He added: “It makes me feel that when I go out I am wary and on edge that it could happen again.”

The defendants pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, while Liam Anderson also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis.

Offenders 'remorseful'

Mitigating for the brothers, Dudley Beal said they were remorseful, with them writing a joint letter of apology to the innocent complainant.

The court heard Liam Anderson was a man of previous good character who worked as a fibreoptic cabler. Mr Beal said there was still time to change direction of his life away from offending.

Luke Anderson had previous convictions, including one for an offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm during an altercation at Southbourne beach. He received a suspended sentence for this just six months prior to the Pier Approach attack.

Mr Beal said Luke Anderson, who worked as a roofer, was a young man who would benefit from intervention by probation.

The judge said he was just persuaded to spare Liam Anderson immediate custody, noting his lack of previous convictions at the time of the offence.

Recorder Gibney told Liam Anderson: “If you step out of line on one occasion, you will be back before this court and you will be going out that door (to prison).”

He described Luke Anderson’s position as “rather different” with his previous conviction for grievous bodily harm and that he was in breach of a suspended sentence.

Sentence passed

Luke Anderson, 23, received a sentence of two years’ immediate custody.

Liam Anderson, 20, received a 16-month sentence, suspended for two years, with requirements to carry out 30 rehabilitation activity days, 175 hours of unpaid work and follow an overnight curfew for 16 weeks. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation.

Luke Anderson was told his actions on the night of the sentence “completely ignored” the warning he would have been given by the judge who gave him a suspended sentence last year.

Recorder Gibney said a letter written by the defendants’ mother demonstrated they were both making their way in the world, however, he added: “On this occasion your behaviour was so appalling it could have taken someone’s life, fortunately it didn’t.”

He said their attack was carried out for “no justifiable reason whatsoever”.

Dorset Police said it did not hold a custody image of Luke Anderson in relation to the offence and the force refused to release a custody image of Liam Anderson.