Newport thugs attacked man with bottles in nightclub toilets

Liam Benson, 19, Taylor Collins, 19, and Craig Williams, 21, carried out a brutal and unprovoked assault on Ieuan Jones at Bloc on Newport’s Cambrian Road.

Jac Brown, prosecuting, played CCTV footage capturing the mindless violence which erupted at 3.30am on the morning of Wednesday, June 26 last year.

Benson and Williams used bottles to hit total stranger Mr Jones in a cubicle with Collins playing a part in the “joint enterprise”.

Liam Benson was sent to a young offender institution for nine months but that sentence was suspended for two years

One of the bottles smashed as it struck the victim on the back of his head and he was beaten “multiple times” during the horrific assault.

MORE NEWS: Drug driver killed Spanish girlfriend after taking cocaine on night out

Mr Jones was also placed in a headlock, punched and kneed in the temple.

At one stage the bewildered victim told his tormentors, “Chill out boys” in an attempt to get them to stop the violence.

Craig Williams was jailed for 10 months

He was so frightened he thought the gang were going to kill him.

Mr Brown told Newport Crown Court: “This was a group attack and all three defendants were intoxicated at the time of the offending.

“Benson was the initial main aggressor of the assault but the first push, in fact, was by Williams.”

Williams could then be seen trying to break a glass bottle by the sink while holding it by the stem.

The Bloc nightclub which has since closed

Mr Brown read out Mr Jones’ victim impact statement in which he said: “The attack came out of nowhere and it really shook me.

“I am worried about going out and fearful it could happen again.

“It was a completely unprovoked attack and I still don’t know why they targeted me.”

Gwent Police released a custody shot of Craig Williams

Mr Jones received treatment at the Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran after suffering two black eyes and swelling to his head.

The three defendants from Newport pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Tabitha Walker for Benson, who was aged just 17 at the time, said: “He is genuinely remorseful for his part in this offending.

“The defendant said it made him feel like a bully and this is out of character for him.”

Sol Hartley representing Collins said: “He is horrified by his behaviour.

“The defendant can’t explain for the life of him why he did this.

“He is simply mortified.

“This was a moment of absolute madness.”

Alice Sykes for Williams said: “He is utterly ashamed of his actions.”

She added there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation” in her client’s case.

Judge Carl Harrison told the defendants: “This was an unprovoked, vicious and cowardly attack which you all had a role to play.

“Mr Jones was so scared he thought you were going to kill him.”

Williams, of Broad Mead Park, was jailed for 10 months.

Benson, of Parry Drive, was sent to a young offender institution for nine months but that sentence was suspended for two years.

He must complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement and was made the subject of a six-month curfew between 8pm and 7am.

Collins, of Buttermere Way, was sent to a young offender institution for eight months but that sentence too was suspended for two years.

He must also complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement and was made the subject of a six-month curfew between 8pm and 7am.

Benson and Collins will each have to pay Mr Jones £150 compensation and £210 towards prosecution costs.

All three defendants have to pay a £187 victim surcharge.