Man puts attack on teen down to collapse at Cardy

Stressed company boss was left with £!50,000 debt

A building contractor blamed his part in a violent street attack on the pressure of being left £150,000 out of pocket by Cardy Construction’s collapse – despite the city firm going bust two months after the assault.

Lawyers for Anthony Howland told magistrates the huge debt had left him suffering “extreme stress at work” at the time of the “ugly melee” on May 29.

But Cardy’s shock decision to appoint administrators was only announced on July 25 – eight weeks later.

Documents list Howland’s rail and construction recruitment firm – AH Resourcing Solutions – as a creditor claiming £128,436.

The 42-year-old’s financial worries were used in mitigation as magistrates sentenced him in Thanet on Friday.

The court was told how Howland, of George Roche Road, Canterbury, had punched a teenager in the face outside a Herne Bay nightclub.

Following his arrest, he initially told police he had done nothing wrong, but was then shown CCTV footage of him striking the 17-yearold boy.

Magistrates heard how he had been to a 60th birthday in the town with his daughter and two of her friends when they became involved in a fracas.

The court was played a video of Jessica Howland, 25, Nadine Telfer, 31, and Toni Lowther, 26 assaulting Courtney Mccullough in the early hours of the morning.

Howland is then shown to punch the teenager in the face.

Prosecutor Julie Farbrace said that at 3am Miss Mccullough, her friend, Ryan Parker, and the 17-year-old, who cannot be named, were outside the club when they were approached by Jennifer Howland, Telfer and Lowther.

“There was a verbal altercation and then one of the females started to attack Miss Mccullough before Mr Howland came over and punched the 17-year-old boy to the face,” Miss Farbrace said. “Miss Mccullough continued to be beaten and was left unconscious on the floor.” All four were arrested. In his first police interview, Howland exercised his right to silence.

Upon being played the video, he said: “You won’t see me do anything wrong.”

Seconds later the footage showed him throw a punch.

After seeing the video, Telfer claimed she could not remember the night, Lowther said she could not recall how the incident had started and Jessica Howland became upset at its contents.

In court, Howland admitted assaulting the 17-year-old boy.

Jessica Howland, of Farrier Close, Herne Bay and Nadine Telfer, of Market Street, Herne Bay, admitted Above clockwise: Anthony Howland punched a 17-year-old boy during a fight involving Jessica Howland, Toni Lowther and Nadine Telfer

assaulting all three victims.

Lowther, of Greenhill Road, Herne Bay, admitted assaulting Miss Mccullough.

Ian Bond, defending, said Howland had just suffered the break-up of his marriage, adding the claim about the timing of his money woes.

“This was also a time of extreme stress at work because his company had been left with a £150,000 debt following the liquidation of Cardy,” he said.

“His initial intervention had been as peacemaker, but subsequently there was the single punch to which he has pleaded guilty. He was not motivated by any hostility to the victim and is ashamed and remorseful about what happened.”

In mitigation for Jessica Howland and Telfer, Mr Bond said both were single mothers who were “ashamed to have been involved in this ugly melee”.

Richard Reynolds, the barrister acting for Lowther, said: “This violence did not take off as a result of anything she did.

“She initially thought that someone might have been being raped.”

Howland was given an 18-month community order with 270 hours unpaid work and told to pay £250 costs and £100 compensation.

Lowther was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, made subject to a night-time curfew and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work. She must also pay £300 compensation and £250 court costs.

Telfer and Jessica Howland were given five-month suspended sentences. They must each also pay £500 compensation, £250 costs and a £115 surcharge.

‘This was also a time of extreme stress at work because his company had been left with a £150,000 debt following the liquidation of Cardy’