Two hurt in pub fight after fallout between regulars
JON MACPHERSON
ALARGE ‘fracas’ broke out at an Accrington pub after a row between two regulars, a court heard.
Two men suffered injuries during the incident at the Nags Head on Blackburn Road on March 22 last year.
Shane Gabriel, 29, Gavin Gabriel, 27, and Samantha Plane, 38, have all pleaded guilty to affray at Burnley Crown Court court and the two Gabriel brothers also pleaded guilty to ABH.
Stephen Parker, prosecuting, told the court how a row between two regulars was a ‘catalyst’ for a fight breaking out at the pub.
He said: “[A] regular appears to have been rather drunk and he’s taken umbrage in particular with [one of the victims] and turned to his friend saying ‘that guy’s a t***, I’m going to have him’ and has gone towards [him]. He’s put his hands up towards this man who’s fallen to the floor.
“A lady has taken exception to that and went over to the group saying ‘I’m going to call the police, what’s going on?’ That is then the catalyst for what happens.”
Mark Stuart, defending Gavin Gabriel and Samantha Plane, told the court: “A regular of the pub fell out with some other regulars in the pub, which resulted in that man being pushed against a fruit machine.
“Most of the fracas is captured on CCTV, albeit there’s no direct assaults by either of the Gabriels seen on the CCTV.”
The court heard how during the incident [the victim with the most serious injuries] suffered bruises to his eye and two lacerations to his head which had to be ‘cleaned and glued’.
Gavin Gabriel, of Norfolk Avenue, Burnley, and Plane, of Brent Street, Burnley, were both granted unconditional bail to appear at Burnley Crown Court for sentence on February 1.
Judge Lunt said with ‘good pre-sentence reports I can find a way not to send them to prison’.
She told the court: “It was ridiculous that they got involved in the way that they did and their behaviour was nothing short of shameful.”
The court heard how Shane Gabriel, of Athol Street North, Burnley, is currently serving a 10-month jail sentence for dangerous driving and will remain in custody until the hearing.