Gang of Northampton teens who left student needing his jaw wired shut are spared jail

An 18-year-old man was left unconcious after a violent assault in Bridge Street. The three men who carried out the beating have been spared jail.

Eathon Curtis, Connor Costello and Jahmal Lothian were handed suspended prison sentences at Northampton Crown Court yesterday having pleaded guilty to charges of grievous bodily harm.

In the early hours of March 24 the three men, all aged 18 at the time, had been drinking at NB’s nightclub in Bridge Street where they were seen behaving aggressively and intimidating customers.

On leaving the club, they followed another 18-year-old man and his friends down Bridge Street.

For reasons unknown, all three took turns to deliver blows to the victim, but it was a final kick to the head by semi-professional footballer Curtis, of Blueberry Rise Ecton Brook, that did the most damage.

It left the victim needing his jaw to be wired shut.

But, sentencing them yesterday, Judge Rupert Mayo said all three defendants had the ability to reform and had shown remorse.

The judge said: “This is the sort of behaviour which the public hate seeing and the public expect judges to be tough on sentencing.

“In one sense you put on hold, or permanently ruined, the life of a young man who was about to take his A-levels.

“But I don’t want to stub out the good that’s in you.”

Costello, of Bellropes Square, Northampton, was given a 13 month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Lothian, of Collyweston Road, was given the same.

But Curtis was given a 16 month prison sentence, also suspended for 18 months and 180 hours of unpaid work, for delivering the kick to the head. He initially ran from police to avoid arrest.

Defending for Costello, who threw two punches at the victim, Philip Farr, said: “This is not a man who set out that night looking for violence.”

For Lothian, Mark Nicholls, said: “He has let himself down, he has let his family down, he is from a good family and is doing an apprenticeship as a plumber.”

And for Curtis Liam Muir, said: “This is a young man who has made a genuine mistake. He has no previous convictions.”