CCTV footage leaves man with barely a leg to stand on in court
A man barely had a leg to stand on when he became involved in a rumpus with his ex-girlfriend and her sister outside a Wearside shopping centre.
Josh Kellett, 26, had a broken leg and used one of his crutches to lash out while near a bus stop at Washington’s Galleries outlet.
Kellett, of Southcroft, Fatfield, Washington, also had one of his two crutches taken and used against him during the same incident, a court heard.
He has now been jailed for 12 weeks, suspended for a year, after admitting a charge of affray at South
Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.
Prosecutor Paul Anderson said a dispute kicked off when Kellett and two pals told the women they were going for a pint on Friday, July 10.
Mr Anderson told the court: “The case broadly revolves around CCTV footage. There’s been an incident between two males and two females.
“He is seen struggling with one of the females and another female hits him with a crutch.
“He seems to grab one of the females. He seems to hit one with crutches. He said it was self-defence.
“He says that he was swinging his crutches around.
"He had a broken leg.
“It looks like he’s hit the female with blonde hair with a crutch. He grabbed the female with dark hair.
"His record isn’t good for violence.”
David Forrester, defending, told the court in mitigation: “His account is that he was going out with friends for a drink.
“One of the women removed his phone and one of his crutches.
“His culpability is one of losing his composure. He grabs one of the women, and then her sister grabs him from behind.”
District Judge Paul Currer said Kellett had hit one of the women with his crutches, had then been hit by his own crutches and had grabbed the second woman.
He told Kellett: “Whatever happened, it was disgraceful behaviour.
“The thing that saves you from going to prison today is that you pleaded guilty.”
Kellett was told by the district judge that he must pay a £120 victim surcharge. There were no court costs.