Men sentenced after attack on football fan in Middlesbrough
The assault left a man unconscious with brain and facial injuries
Two men have been sentenced for their parts in an assault which left a man unconscious with brain and facial injuries.
The Coventry fan, who had been at the Riverside Stadium to watch Coventry City FC play Middlesbrough FC on Wednesday 17th May 2023, was approached by three males who had followed him after the game to Corporation Road.
The victim was repeatedly punched and kicked, causing him to fall to the floor, where he was kneed in the head.
Following the attack, he was put in the recovery position by a passer-by and taken to James Cook University Hospital. He was left with swelling and bleeding on the brain, and facial injuries, which required extensive hospital treatment and left the man with severe headaches.
Two 20-year-old men were arrested on suspicion of section 18 GBH and later charged by Middlesbrough CID officers.
At Teesside Crown Court on Friday (6th June), the two men were sentenced for the attack. The third suspect did not get involved in the assault.
Ben Thurlwell, aged 20, of Shandon Park in Marton, Middlesbrough, and Nathan Najeeb, aged 20, of Cheltenham Close in Middlesbrough, were both sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for two years and they were ordered to pay £7,500 each in compensation to the victim.
Both will attend an alcohol management course and will complete 200 hours of unpaid work each, and both were banned from attending football matches for five years.
PC Chris Hilton said: “This was a disgraceful, unprovoked attack on a man who had been on a day out to enjoy a football match. The men followed and attacked the victim after Middlesbrough’s loss at the Riverside Stadium and left him unconscious in the street.
“Their appalling behaviour left this man in need of extensive hospital treatment.
“I am pleased that Najeeb and Thurlwell will no longer be able to attend football matches for the next five years, and I hope that the conclusion of the case means that the victim can now move forward. I wish him well in his recovery.”