Attack thugs locked up for breaking victim's jaw (From Dorset Echo)

Attack thugs locked up for breaking victim's jaw

12:30pm Friday 1st February 2013 in News

A JUDGE has jailed two young men for an attack in Swanage that left their victim with a broken jaw.

Rhys James Harkins, 19, and Hayden Paul Mark Sebego, 20, were sentenced to 15 months in custody for inflicting grievous bodily harm on Matthew Broomfield in July last year.

Sebego, of Christmas Close, Wareham, also received a two month sentence for an offence of assault on a police special constable on the same night, with the term to be served consecutively.

Sadie Rizzo, prosecuting, said the two defendants approached Mr Broomfield at about 11pm on July 9 and the victim said he could see they were ‘looking for trouble’.

She said Mr Broomfield tried to walk away but the pair followed him into Institute Road and he was pulled to the floor.

Miss Rizzo said Harkins and Sebego both then proceeded to kick Mr Broomfield while he was on the floor, landing several blows and leaving their victim unconscious.

Shortly afterwards special constable Sarah Howard saw Sebego in Swanage and went to arrest him but was pushed to the floor, causing her to fall and hit her head on the road.

She required three stitches to treat a cut she sustained.

Both Sebego and Harkins were eventually arrested that night.

Mr Broomfield suffered a broken jaw that required three operations as well as a fractured elbow, cuts and bruises to the head and pain in his right hand.

The injuries meant he had to give up an opportunity to move to New Zealand for a job.

Robert Griffiths, representing Harkins, said his client was a young man who had suffered a bad start in life and had ‘gone really significantly off the rails’.

He said Harkins, of Mellstock Crescent, Wareham, now accepted full responsibility for his actions and wanted to apologise to Mr Broomfield.

Robert Pawson, representing Sebego, said his client felt ‘genuine shame at his own behaviour’ on the night in question and acknowledged he had ‘behaved disgracefully’. Judge Roger Jarvis also imposed an anti-social behaviour order in respect of the two defendants after hearing that both had been involved in a number of incidents in recent years.

He said: “It is plain that both of you have been behaving very badly for a period of time.”

The ASBO will run for a period of five years.