Bouncers avoid jail over incident with rugby star
THREE bouncers avoided jail terms after an incident involving former rugby international Shane Williams.
Two men, Dean Flowers and Dave Wing, were found guilty of affray after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
Aled James, aged 27, of Richard Street, Maerdy, Ferndale, had already pleaded guilty to affray and was sentenced with Flowers, 33, of Clos-yCarlwm, Thornhill, Cardiff, and Wing, 54, of Shearman Place, Grangetown, Cardiff, by Recorder Duncan Bould.
Haydn Morgan, 42, of Herbert Street in Bridgend, was found not guilty of affray during the trial.
During the trial the jury heard that Shane Williams’s brother, Dean, was left unconscious after the incident, which took place after the Wales v South Africa match at the Principality Stadium on December 2 last year.
The former Wales and Ospreys winger was out with his brother and friends Rhodri Williams and Stewart Herbert in Cardiff city centre after the game.
They were drinking at the Coyote Ugly nightclub in St Mary Street just before 10pm when someone approached the group and tried to headbutt Dean Williams.
Door staff working at the venue ejected the fourman group from the premises but an altercation outside Coyote Ugly, which was caught on CCTV, culminated in Dean Williams lying unconscious on the ground. Prosecuting, Nicholas Gareth Jones said there was a “minor altercation” between Dean Williams and another male.
James was the first member of staff who went to deal with the incident and Flowers then attended. CCTV in the hallway showed James “manhandling” Shane Williams, who went to the floor.
CCTV from the top of the stairs showed other door staff arriving following a “code red”. It was the CPS case that Flowers was still present and pushed Shane Williams down the stairs. The group was seen leaving via the fire exit. Dean, Shane and Rhodri Williams were refusing to walk away and the door staff were telling them to go home. The first doorman to go out was James, who went after Dean Williams.
The prosecutor told the court: “He was caught against the wall and repeatedly punched on the floor. Wing then arrived and his first move was to kick out. Wing knelt on the floor, put Dean Williams into a headlock, squeezing his neck for quite a long period of time. He did not stop.
“Dean Williams’s head was jerked further backwards. He continued to hold him until he lost consciousness.”
Mr Jones added: “Shane Williams had been on the floor and was clearly injured because of the number of blows he had received.”
All three defendants are of previous good character, the court was told.
Andrew Taylor, for James, said he has completed a PGCE and is now working as a teacher in
London.
Mr Taylor said: “Since then, not only has he stayed out of trouble, he has been making a positive contribution to society. He wanted to help those less fortunate than himself.”
The barrister suggested James acted in a “moment of madness”.
Kevin Seal, for Flowers, said: “He is 33, never been in trouble before. Hard- working, industrious.”
The court heard Flowers is a carer for his mother and he had “lost his head” in the incident. Since that, he has lost his job and the income he used to support his family.
Mr Seal added: “Effectively, because of that night he lost everything.”
Heath Edwards, on behalf of Wing, said: “The context in which the violence began that night had nothing to do with Wing. He was on the front door and answered a call to help others.
“He has to be sentenced because he is in the wrong. He was not the person that was the catalyst for the violence.”
The court heard he was assessed by the probation service to present a low risk of re-offending.
Mr Edwards said Wing had two job offers but that his marriage had collapsed and his client had been diagnosed with depression.
The court heard he has two young children and is a carer for his elderly father.
The judge said there was “no excuse” for throwing Shane Williams down the stairs. He said the bouncers should have acted without aggression or violence.
He added: “You are engaged and trusted to manage and control such situations safely. Instead of holding the doors closed, the three of you burst out and attacked the men outside.”
James was given a 10-month jail term, suspended for two years. He was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
Flowers was given a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.
Wing was also given a 16-month jail term, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.
Recorder Bould said: “Each of you has come within a hair’s breadth of losing your liberty.”