Trio targeted war veteran in pub toilets in 'prolonged horrendous' attack

The victim was inside Wyke Smugglers on Portland Road in Weymouth on October 25, 2019 when he approached a table of loud drinkers telling them to lower their voices.

The victim, an ex-rifleman who had fought in warzones, was told by one of the men‘I’m not around here and I’ll do what I f****** like’ and he left to sit back down at his table.

When he left his table to walk to the pub’s toilets, Shaun Duffy and Christian Coulson followed him in there where they launched a ‘prolonged’ attack on the ‘vulnerable’ victim at the urinals.

Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth. Picture: Google

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how the victim was repeatedly punched, fell to the ground and had his head kicked and stamped by Duffy and Coulson. He was knocked unconscious.

Ashby, who told the court how he had gone to the toilets to be sick, landed a kick on the bloodied victim as he was regaining consciousness.

The trio left the toilets shortly after and finished their drinks and left. They were all arrested hours after the brutal attack.

The victim was taken to Dorset County Hospital for medical treatment after he suffered bruising around his eyes, swelling in a cheek and injuries to his jaw.

Prosecutor Richard Tutt referred to three victim impact statements which spoke of how ‘he was terrified that these three defendants were going to kill him as they were stamped on his head’.

The victim, who has PTSD from his time in the army, shared how his children were ‘upset and confused’ when they saw his injuries and he lied to say he had fallen.

Christian Coulson (left), Calvin Ashby (centre), Shaun Duffy (right) were all jailed for attempted GBH of a man at Wyke Smugglers pub, Weymouth. Pictures: Dorset Police

He added the attack has a ‘massive impact on his life and wellbeing’ and has had ‘nightmares of people trying to stamp on him’.

Referring to the victim impact statement, he said: “I feel that the assault that took place that day turned my life upside down. I live with the mental and physical scars to this day.

“The fact it happened where I live and work means I can never avoid the horrible memories.”

Ashby and Duffy were found guilty of an attempt to cause grievous bodily harm with intent following a six-day trial at Bournemouth Crown Court while Coulson pleaded guilty to the charge on the first day of the trial.

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Jeffrey Lamb, defending for Ashby, said he was ‘very drunk’ and had a lesser role in the attack after he drunkenly stumbled into the toilets.

He said: “We say on this is a momentary lapse in the end of the event when he has dashed into the toilets to be sick.

“His evidence he did not go into there to attack him, but he accepts he has been found guilty of the offence.”

Richard Barton, defending for Coulson, said he was apologetic for his drunken assault on the war veteran.

He said: “He like others was drunk and there is an aggravated feature and that goes to explain why he reacted in an out-of-character way.

“He says to me he has read the victim statements and wishes to not only apologise to him, but also the family for what his actions have put them through.”

India Flanagan, defending for Duffy, said he ‘went to the toilets not to start an assault’ and was remorseful for his actions.

She continued to say he is a good family man who regularly cared for his elderly mother and Duffy feared that she may die while he is in prison.

Veteran feared for his life during attack 

Bournemouth Crown Court. Picture BNPS

Recorder David Sawyer described it as a ‘prolonged and persistent attack’ on a war veteran who had served his country for many years.

He said: “He is a man who served his country and suffered significant psychological injury from doing so.

“He has served in warzones and he has said what you did to him on 2019 was worse than any warzone.

“He was more in fear for his life then than when people were shooting at him.

“I have heard and read three statements from him setting out the quite horrendous consequences of your actions that night.”

Duffy and Ashby were both imprisoned for five years while Coulson was sentenced to four years and four months. All three men were ordered to pay a £181 surcharge.