Seaside church trip ended in violence
Baptist attacked his friend after he asked about travel plans
A Baptist worshipper attacked his friend like a “cage fighter” during a seaside church trip which left the victim laid out cold in front of shocked holidaymakers. David Holroyd, 57, was punched and kicked in the head by Baptist devotee Danny Rowden, 29, after making an innocuous remark about travel arrangements.
What happened next stunned holidaymakers on the seafront in Scarborough as families and children saw Rowden - who had been sinking beers all afternoon in a local pub - strike Mr Holroyd with a fierce blow after the victim merely enquired about the departure time for their trip organised by the Wakefield Baptist Church.
“Mr Holroyd asked the defendant where they were being picked up from - Rowden punched him in the face and continued to punch him in the head,” prosecutor Joe Culley told York Crown Court.
Rowden threw six more punches, knocking Mr Holroyd to the ground, before straddling him and raining more blows down on his head.
The paralytic church-goer eventually walked away, but returned five minutes later and knocked Mr Holroyd down again with a “mighty” blow, before sticking the boot in once more.
As Mr Holroyd lay helpless on the ground, Rowden kicked him three or four times in the head and punched him repeatedly.
“Two members of the public intervened and managed to drag [Rowden] away from the victim,” added Mr Culley.
He said witnesses, including a group of children, were “shocked” by the level of violence meted out by Rowden, who had attended a church meeting in Whitby with the victim earlier that day.
They described Rowden’s behaviour as “like a cage fighter on TV”.
Mr Holroyd, who was out cold, suffered black eyes and a swollen head, as well as a back injury and scratch marks to his forehead, legs and arm.
He was taken to Scarborough Hospital and discharged the following day but faces another scan due to ongoing difficulties.
Rowden, of Priory Road, Ossett, near Wakefield, told police he couldn’t remember the incident because he was blotto. He appeared for sentence on Monday after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Mr Holroyd said he had struggled to walk since the attack which had shattered his self-confidence and left him virtually housebound.
Rowden has six previous convictions for offences including assaulting a police officer and being drunk and disorderly.
His barrister Taryn Turner said the disgraced worshipper, who does voluntary work at a homeless shelter in Wakefield, had “demons” and “lost it” after getting blind drunk.
She said that Rowden - said to have a depressive condition was “ashamed” and deeply saddened by the incident because he had enjoyed a seven-year friendship with Mr Holroyd.
Judge Paul Batty QC described the attack as “brutal”. He told Rowden: “Witnesses on the seafront were utterly appalled and one said it was akin to a cage fight.”
However, Mr Batty said he could “just” step back from imposing an immediate jail sentence because Rowden was getting help from others including church members who had provided character testimonies.
Rowden’s two-year jail term was suspended for 24 months and includes a 20-day rehabilitation course.