Leeds teenager locked up for stamping on man's head and injuring grandmother during vicious town centre gang attack

William Barnes was part of a 20-strong gang that attacked two men outside Carlton Lanes Shopping Centre in Pontefract.

A second defendant, 20-year-old Declan Lewington, was also seen kicking one of the males in CCTV footage that was played Leeds Crown Court.

Danielle Gilmour, prosecuting, said the defendants were part of the group that had exchanged verbal insults with the two men on the evening of March 4, 2019, in Castleford town centre.

Miss Gilmour said Barnes, who was aged 17 at the time, had a long-standing disagreement with one of the men.

The two men had gone to meet a female who worked at JD Sports in Carlton Lanes.

Barnes was heard to say that he was "going to batter" one of the males.

Miss Gilmour said they stayed in the shopping centre until she arrived.

When the grandmother turned up, they hurried to get in her vehicle on Bridge Street but were followed by the gang who began attacking the two men.

Footage screened in court showed Barnes throwing punches at one of the victims and dragging him to the ground.

He then stopped and went over to the second victim who was being attacked in the middle of the road by the gang, and began kicking and stamping on his head.

Lewington was also seen kicking the man on the floor.

The 79-year-old grandmother got out of her car and was shoved by Barnes, causing her a chest injury.

The court was told it was 15 days before police were able to arrest Barnes, who accepted his involvement in the incident.

Barnes, 18, of Cross Green Lane, Halton, Leeds, pleaded guilty to affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The court Barnes, who appeared in court via a video link from HMP Doncaster, has 20 previous convictions.

Ms Smart said her client had been bullied while held on remand, is locked up 23 hours a day and has been attacked by inmates and had items stolen from him.

Lewington, 20, of Colclough Close, Castleford, pleaded guilty to affray.

Khadim Al'Hassan, for Lewington, said that he had taken steps to turn his life around since the incident, securing a job as a warehouse operative in Normanton.

The barrister said: "He was not initially involved but became involved for a fraction of a second.

"He is embarrassed and his mother is embarrassed that he has appeared in court.

"His involvement was limited but he accepts he was and shouldn't have."

Judge Rodney Jameson QC gave Lewington a 12-month community order with 200 hours of community service.

He handed Barnes 16-month custodial sentence, saying: "You have a dreadful record for one so young.

"Behaviour of this kind can't be allowed to continue."

A third defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has already been dealt with by the court for his part in the attack.