Jailed: 'Extremely violent' steroid user ran over man outside Shrewsbury McDonald's before attack outside newsagent

Lucas Bethell, 24, appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court after admitting multiple charges in relation to two violent incidents that took place in March this year at a hearing on May 19.

These included two attempts to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, a charge of affray, a charge of dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

On March 18, Bethell arrived at McDonald’s in Battlefield Road at about 12.30am with two other men, one of whom was brandishing a baseball bat, before driving a blue Volkswagen Transporter van into the victim, who he knew.

Prosecuting barrister Ms Katie Fox said: "All three men arrived outside McDonald's, one was holding a baseball bat.

"There was a confrontation between this defendant and a female before the victim threw a yellow cone and chair towards the defendant in the van.

"The defendant drove towards the exit and then turned and drove at speed towards the victim who was knocked over and dragged a short distance. He rolled and was able to get to his feet.

"The defendant didn't stop and drove off."

The court heard the victim suffered “severe grazing and scraping to his back”.

In a related incident on March 30, Bethell, along with others, attacked another man in front of members of the public outside a newsagent in Sundorne Road in Sundorne, Shrewsbury, smashing its window at about 2pm.

Frenzied

CCTV footage showed a group, including Bethell, jump out of a moving car before knocking the man to the floor.

The court heard Bethell, of Crowmere Green in Monkmoor, Shrewsbury, kicked the victim nine times and stamped on him five times in an attack in front of elderly witnesses, one of which described the incident as a "frenzied attack".

The victim suffered 12 stitches to the head, 10 stitches to the wrist, surgery for nerve damage, five stitches in a finger, concussion, bruising and swelling.

Defence solicitor Kim Roberts said: "The confrontation at McDonald's and the subsequent incident outside the newsagent are connected.

"He's reflected on his actions and knows they are not acceptable."

Sentencing Bethell, Judge Anthony Lowe said: "I can see there was a lot of provocation leading to the driving matter in particular but it was Mr Bethell and others who arrived at McDonald's with a baseball bat preceding that.

"I'm dealing here with people that think the only way to deal with problems, often trivial ones, is with violence.

"I would certainly recommend avoiding steroids as it obviously makes you extremely violent."

Following the Sundorne Road incident, detectives at Shrewsbury CID appealed for witnesses to come forward.

At the time West Mercia Police said via its social media channels: “In the first incident a victim was driven into and sustained injuries, in the second a male was physically attacked.

“Both incidents took place in full view of numerous members of the public, some of whom appeared to be elderly and vulnerable.”

Bethell was sentenced to a total of five-and-a-half years in prison, to serve half, and was given a three-year driving disqualification.