A notorious York thug has been jailed for another vicious, unprovoked attack in the city centre which left his victim with a broken ankle and a career potentially cut short.
Lewis Young, 21, punched the young man to the ground and then kicked him in the head after marauding through the city centre, said prosecutor John Batchelor.
“The defendant was walking through the city centre, drinking, being lairy, drinking from what appeared to be a wine bottle,” he added.
” and they were being “loud and aggressive”.
As Young walked past the two victims, he barged into one of them, then walked over to his mate “to get the bottle (of wine)”, ostensibly to use as a weapon.
His friend refused to hand him the bottle but, not to be deterred, Young walked up to the young man and punched him to the ground with a “hard blow”.
The victim’s friend went to his aid but Young, who adopted a “boxing stance”, also punched him to the ground, only this time he followed up with a kick to the head while the victim was “dazed or unconscious”.
This victim, who was named in court, suffered a fractured and dislocated foot due to the fall and sustained facial injuries in the attack which occurred just before 10pm on 5 August.
He was unable to work and couldn’t complete his motorcycle test because he had a pot on his ankle. His friend suffered a cracked tooth and swollen lip.
Attacked police
Young and his mate fled down Museum Street but were tracked by CCTV operators. Young was arrested shortly afterwards and upon being arrested was “aggressive and violent” with officers, one of whom was punched to the shoulder.
He was hauled in for questioning but refused to answer police questions and put a hole in a mattress inside a custody cell.
The offences were in breach of a suspended prison sentence imposed in June after Young was convicted of carrying a hammer in public.
Young, a familiar face in York but lately of no fixed address, was charged with wounding, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assaulting an emergency worker and damaging police property.
He admitted assaulting the police officer and damaging property but initially denied the two assaults, claiming mistaken identity, only to plead guilty a week before a trial was due to be held.
He appeared at York Crown Court for sentence yesterday (12 December) after being remanded in custody.
Long criminal record
In a statement read out in court, the victim who suffered the worst injuries said the mindless attack had left him “upset and traumatised”.
He had to undergo extensive surgery in which he had metal plates and nine screws inserted into his broken ankle. He had to wear a cast for 12 weeks.
His job as an apprentice engineer had to be put on hold due to a prolonged period off sick and he couldn’t go to college.
He described himself as a sociable, friendly, unconfrontational person but he no longer liked going out due to the “profound” physical and mental impact of the attack.
“He says the whole thing is a nightmare (that) he’s still living,” said Mr Batchelor.
Young’s long criminal record comprised 19 previous convictions for 28 offences including serious violence, theft, threatening behaviour, assaulting a police officer, affray and criminal damage.
In February last year, he was jailed for eight months for wounding after hitting a York shopkeeper in the face with a bottle of rum.
Defence barrister Andrea Parnham said that Young, a sometime plasterer formerly of Barlby Road, Selby, had a binge-drinking problem which was the root of his recidivist behaviour.
Judge Simon Hickey condemned Young for his “shocking record for violence” and said he had picked on two innocent young men who had “offered absolutely no resistance” and were merely going about their business.
He said the “unprovoked” attack had had a “severe, ongoing” effect on the most seriously injured victim.
Young was jailed for three years and seven months.