Three people have been spared jail after attacking a group outside a Cheshire pub which left two people unconscious and one with a 'deep ugly' scar. Former Chester Young Farmers chairwoman Chloe Evans, her brother Charlie and her boyfriend Marcus Kennedy launched the assault after 'tempers flared' in an exchange with a group celebrating a birthday at a pub in Saughall this April.
Brawl outside Greyhound Inn
Chester Crown Court heard last Friday (July 17) how Evans and her partner were seen raining kicks and punches on the victims, while her brother Charlie was described as a 'crazed animal', landing blows with his crutches. Two of the victims were left unconscious at the scene, with one sustaining a 4cm cut to her nose, which required 14 stitches and left a scar.
Ms Evans, of Saughall, who works as a credit analyst at an agricultural bank, studied at Reaseheath Land College in Nantwich before she graduated at Aberystwyth University in Wales. She was made chair of Chester Young Farmers (CYC) three months after the brawl, writing on Instagram that agriculture was her 'greatest passion' and that she 'had always been a cow girl'.
Court hears details of attack
Catherine Elvin, prosecuting, said that the three victims, a husband and wife and a third man, were celebrating a 70th birthday party at the same place. “The evidence suggests that a confrontation occurred where Marcus Kennedy and Charlie Evans approach one of the guests and there is an exchange of words,” Ms Elvin said. “It is unclear what exactly is said but for some reason tempers flared. One victim suggests it started when Marcus and Charlie asked her whether she recognised them. She recalls the group being told to ‘Get lost’ and Charlie Evans responded with threats and aggression. Shortly thereafter, the physical confrontation starts.”
One victim ended up on the floor and was knocked unconscious. Another sought to intervene but also ended up on his back and was assaulted by the three defendants. Chloe Evans and Marcus Kennedy were described by witnesses as 'throwing punches and kicks' towards the two. “A third victim attempts to pull Chloe Evans away and admits that in doing so she punched her and pulled her hair. But she then reports being hit with a weapon understood to be Charlie Evans’ crutch, and was kicked by Chloe,” Ms Elvin said.
Victim left with 'deep' and 'ugly' scar
The female victim had the most serious injuries, losing consciousness at the scene and sustaining a wound to the bridge of nose which extended down to the underlying bone and later required 14 stitches. “She described scarring to her face as ‘deep’ and ‘ugly’,” Ms Elvin said. “She felt as if she did not want to leave the house after the assault and felt intimidated by the defendants. Her husband had pre-existing PTSD due to service in the armed forces and the incident triggered an increase in his medication. He said the harm caused to his wife makes him ‘sick to his stomach’ and says he feels angry, vulnerable and intimidated.” The third victim was also knocked unconscious during the melee and required three staples to a head wound he sustained.
Judge hands down suspended sentences
The court heard Evans and her accomplices only offered guilty pleas after Judge Steven Everett indicated he would pass non-custodial sentences if background reports on them were found to be 'positive.' In sentencing the judge said he did not think they would 'ever get to the bottom' of 'exactly what happened'. “It was an unpleasant, ugly drunken incident and three people ended up with wounds,” he said. “Mrs Tinsley ended up with a really nasty injury to her nose, which undoubtedly scarred her and which she will always be aware of. I am not even going to try to work out who was to blame for starting the incident but clearly there were problems between the two groups. The reality is wherever there are problems you just walk away, you do not get involved in this type of drunken ugly incident. It is clear the couple are truly upset by what has happened and perhaps if it was up to them they would want this court to impose a greater sentence. But whilst taking into account their injuries and feelings of outrage they must understand the court has to follow sentencing guidelines. I am rather hoping that this is your first and last time in court.”
Ms Evans and Mr Kennedy pleaded guilty to affray and each were sentenced to five months in jail, suspended for 18 months. She was also ordered to complete 40 hours of unpaid work whilst Kennedy, of Connah's Quay, Flintshire, will undertake 80 hours. Charlie Evans, also of Saughall, admitted affray and three charges of unlawful wounding and was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, along with 150 hours of unpaid work. All three were banned from contacting the victims for two years under the terms of a restraining order.
