Jail for stag do yobs who caused ‘mayhem’ in Abergavenny

A woman was knocked unconscious after her head was stamped on, a shopper was punched in the face and a policeman’s leg bitten in Abergavenny during an orgy of violence.

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Jack Bennett, 26, of no fixed abode, Brynmawr, attacked Anne-Marie Doolan at the Auberge pub in the town.

Harley Southway, 28, of Roundhouse Close, Nantyglo, set upon innocent customer Simon Van Beers in the Tesco store next door.

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​Jack Bennett

Jack’s brother Clive Bennett, 27, of Waunheulog, Nantyglo, rugby tackled a police constable before he sank his teeth into his leg.

This was a sickening display of violence

Prosecutor Nigel Fryer told Newport Crown Court how the trio were part of a stag party of around 12 men who were drinking heavily in the Monmouthshire town on the afternoon of Saturday, June 22, 2019.

Harley Southway

The group were thrown out of the Wetherspoon’s pub because of their drunkenness and “one was so intoxicated that he had to be held up by the others”.

Mr Fryer said: “The duty manager Claire Chadwick asked them to leave but they refused and became confrontational.

“One of the group threatened her, clenching his fist and saying, ‘I will knuckle you’. It took about seven minutes to eject the group form Wetherspoon’s.

Clive Bennett

“They moved on to the Auberge pub and a serious affray occurred in the beer garden there and CCTV revealed that Jack Bennett and Harley Southway had been at the forefront.

“Anne-Marie Doolan had been drinking with a group of friends, one of whom was called Russell Wincott.

“He was set upon by the group and was kicked and punched repeatedly.”

Mr Fryer added: “Anne-Marie Doolan followed the group inside the pub. She was thrown to the floor by Bennett and Southway.

“Jack Bennett then stamped on her head in a sickening display of violence against a defenceless female. The blow knocked her unconscious.”

The prosecutor said Southway fled the pub before he attacked the unfortunate Mr Van Beers who was doing some supermarket shopping.

Mr Fryer told the court: “Harley Southway ran into the Tesco Express next door. He was shirtless and intensely aggressive, shouting, ‘Who is the hardest man in here?’.

“He then approached Simon Van Beers. He shouted at him and without warning punched him to the right side of his mouth, causing his glasses to come off and him to stumble.

“Southway asked, ‘Do you want a fight?’”

He added: “Southway left the Tesco and was met by PC Owain Smallwood who told him he had a Taser, but he tried to run away. As a result, Southway was Tasered.”

Thomas Stanway, representing father-of-three Jack Bennett, said: “He is horrified by his behaviour and has vowed he will never drink alcohol again.”

Hilary Roberts, for Southway, said: “It is plain drink brings out a demon in him.”

James Evans, mitigating, for Clive Bennett, said his client was left in a coma for 24 hours after he attacked the police officer.

Judge Richard Twomlow told the defendants: “This was an absolutely disgraceful incident in which mayhem was caused by drunken young men.”

Jack Bennett, who admitted affray and causing actual bodily harm, was jailed for 12 months.

Southway, who pleaded guilty to affray, actual bodily harm and assaulting an emergency worker, was sent to prison for 18 months.

Clive Bennett, who admitted assaulting an emergency worker, was locked up for six months.