Pair spared jail for Marlowe assaults

Two students,who took part in a violent assault at Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre during a music event have escaped going to prison.

James Duffill and pal Ertil Dedushi were part of a group who attacked other theatre-goers at the show in March this year.

The fracas was caught on the Marlowe’s CCTV, which showed the group talking heatedly before the two began throwing punches and kicks.

Prosecutor Jim Harvey told Canterbury Crown Court victims Thomas Winding and Joseph Craig were out for the evening when they passed four men – including the defendants.

“The footage shows the victims taking a passive stance through- out the incident,” he added.

Duffill, 21, of Middleton Close, Gillingham, and Dedushi, also 21, of London, admitted two assaults, and Duffill also pleaded guilty to assaulting a security guard.

Mr Harvey said Dedushi punched Mr Winding to the ground and repeatedly punched Mr Craig.

As Mr Craig tried to move away, others – including two men who have never been identified – assaulted him and then kicked Mr Winding while he was on the floor.

Mr Harvey added that Duffill then punched security guard Liam Day, who had tried to break up the scrap.

The victims were left with swol- len eyes, concussion, cuts and grazes.

Kieran Moroney, defending both men, said they accepted their responsibility for the attacks and were not the kind of students to become involved in “such brutish” behaviour.

“They are both ashamed of their conduct and accept they have let their families down,” he added.

Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl told them their behaviour that night “was very bad”, and gave then 12-month prison sentences suspended for two years.

They were also ordered to each pay £200 compensation and do 200 hours of unpaid work for the community.