Jail for ringleader of trio who dragged delivery driver from his van and beat him unconscious in Northampton

Three young men who pulled a delivery driver from his van and kicked him until he fell unconscious have been sentenced.
Asher Edwards led two 16-year-old boys in dragging a delivery driver from his van and beating him unconscious.Asher Edwards led two 16-year-old boys in dragging a delivery driver from his van and beating him unconscious.
Asher Edwards led two 16-year-old boys in dragging a delivery driver from his van and beating him unconscious.

In the terrifying attack in June 2017, the delivery driver rounded his van down Park Crescent East in Kings Heath only to find his way blocked by three males - a 22-year-old and two 16-year-olds.

They were Asher Edwards, from Welland Way - who was the oldest of the three - Lewis Mellor, from Medway Drive and Liam French, from Swale Drive, and the driver had no time to react before the three boys surrounded his van and punched him through his driver side window.

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They then dragged him out of his van by the passenger door before kicking him unconscious on the floor.

Edwards sighed and huffed as his crimes were read out,Edwards sighed and huffed as his crimes were read out,
Edwards sighed and huffed as his crimes were read out,

Northampton Crown Court heard yesterday (January 16) how the badly-bruised driver soon came to some 10 metres from his van, where he could see the three boys rooting through his van.

He tried to run away and phone the police on his mobile - but one of the three males noticed and chased after him before pushing him to the floor and delivering more kicks.

One witness who saw the incident from their home nearby later told police how the male shouted "I'm not finished with you yet" as he chased the injured driver down.

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Soon after the three males ran from the scene - but not before unleashing more blows on the defenceless van driver.

The three boys were soon arrested after the attack was spotted by several witnesses.

The court even heard how Edwards lied in his police interview. He tried to convince police he not only witnessed the attack but waded in to try and get "the three men to leave him alone".

The victim in the case suffered a fractured nose and a swollen jaw as a result of the attacks.

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At court yesterday, Edwards - now 25 years old - huffed and sighed as his crimes were read out, which His Honour Judge Rupert Mayo called "ridiculous behaviour".

Judge Mayo told Edwards: "This was an unpleasant experience for the delivery driver who thought he was being robbed for his parcels.

"Because on your age you were almost certainly the ringleader here.

"Nothing I've heard today is sufficient for me to suspend your sentence. It is inevitable."

Edwards was jailed for 20 months. Meanwhile, Mellor and French - now 18 and 19 respectively - were both handed eight months detention suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £500 in compensation.