Three sentenced after sergeant kicked in head following Shropshire pub brawl

Ryan Davies and Ashley Davies, now 28 and 26 respectively, set upon Ashley Martin in the Bull Hotel in Ludlow on May 4, 2019.

Ryan Davies was seen on CCTV talking to Martin, at one point getting close to his face, with violence flaring up soon after.

They were separated but Martin, 27, later punched Ryan Davies in the face.

Prosecutor Mr Christopher O'Gorman outlined the facts at Shrewsbury Crown Court this week.

He said the first bout of violence started at about 5.40pm, after Ryan Davies had approached Martin.

A fight broke out and Ashley Davies joined in. At one stage Martin was grabbed around the neck and outnumbered four to one, the court heard.

Other people had to move out of the way as the men brawled around the pub, while a woman was seen trying to pull Ryan Davies away from Martin.

Police were called and the Davies brothers left the building, but at about 6.40pm Ryan Davies came back.

Words were exchanged and Martin punched Ryan Davies in the face.

A scuffle broke out but the two were quickly separated. Martin later admitted he did not feel under threat and had hit out in anger.

Serious

Ryan Davies then tried to escape the area but police were able to catch him with the help of the pub's landlady.

He resisted arrest and police used spray and a baton to subdue him. In the process, a police sergeant was kicked in the head by the younger Davies brother.

"As a result of the whole incident, [the sergeant] sustained grazing to his knee and a lump on the back of his head," Mr O'Gorman said.

All three men were subsequently charged with affray, and Ashley Davies was also charged with assaulting a police officer.

He claimed in interviews he was trying to kick something out of the sergeant's hand.

Judge Peter Barrie, who sentenced all three this week, said the fact the process had taken so long was a "serious system failure".

He added that had the matter gone through the courts promptly, the Davies brothers would "probably" have faced immediate jail sentences.

In the circumstances, the judge gave Ashley Davies a sentence of 12 weeks for the affray and one of 15 weeks for the attack on the officer, both suspended for 15 months.

His brother received a 12-week sentence for the affray, suspended for 12 months.

Ashley Davies, of Marshbrook, near Church Stretton, will also have to complete a thinking skills programme, 30 days of rehabilitation activity and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Ryan Davies, of Leamoor Common, Craven Arms, will have to complete the same activities and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

Martin, of Ford Street, Wigmore, was sentenced to 60 hours of unpaid work for his attack on Davies.