Brawl at Leeds city centre Wetherspoon's involving professional rugby player lands trio in court

The fight at Beckett’s Bank on Park Row came after a group of drinkers clashed with door staff, leaving one person needing hospital treatment. The incident happened on September 24, 2022, a Saturday afternoon at around 5.30pm.

Details of the incident were not fully disclosed during a sentencing hearing at Leeds Crown Court this morning, but prosecutor Gareth Henderson-Moore said the three men - Daniel Lockwood, Dylan Murphy and Lochlan McGill - became involved in a clash with door staff at the pub. He said there was pushing and shoving and that punches were thrown.

Mr Henderson-Moore said: “It’s quite clear watching the CCTV that this incident caused people in the area to move away and feel distressed.”

All three defendants admitted a charge of affray.

None of the defendants, who are all 24, have previous convictions. Mitigating For Murphy, Nicholas Hammond said he was in full-time employment as an electrician.

For McGill, Shufqat Khan said the footage from the busy pub showed McGill following his friend Murphy holding a drink and head towards the exit, before being grabbed by a door staff member. McGill then grabs the doorman. Mr Khan said McGill only got involved due to his friend being manhandled.

He said that McGill was a professional rugby player who now lived in Australia, but also worked as a scaffolder. He was the former captain of Bramley Buffaloes in Leeds.

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Mitigating for Lockwood, Glenn Parsons said: “It’s a great shame he has lost his good name. It was seconds of foolishness, involving himself in something he should not have got involved in. He is ashamed.”

Judge Neil Clark said the incident was “probably caused by having too much to drink”.

Murphy, of Rossefield Parade, Bramley, was given a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work. Lockwood, of Greenhill Crescent, Wortley, was given a two-month curfew, and McGill, formerly of Calverley Lane, Bramley, was fined £1,000.

They were all told to pay £200 compensation to the injured victim.