A mum ploughed her car into a mass brawl after a teen in pyjamas stamped on a man's head, whose ear was bitten off by the teen's brother. Kieran and Corey Scholes chased Connor Kelly down the street before attacking the balaclava-clad dad outside a convenience store, sparking a chaotic fight.
Attack outside convenience store
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Kelly and Joseph McCarthy-Harrington were seen on CCTV running towards Tower Stores on Seabank Road in New Brighton, Wirral, on December 19 last year, wearing balaclavas and armed with batons. After being chased by both brothers, the two turned to face them, and fighting broke out between all four, spilling into the road.
Prosecutor Gerry Baxter described how Kieran took hold of Kelly, and Corey helped force him to the ground. The footage showed Corey repeatedly punching Kelly to the head and body, then Kieran biting Kelly's ear and severing part of it. Corey then stamped on the same side of Kelly's face.
Mum drives into fray
As two members of the public intervened, Corey continued to attack McCarthy-Harrington before Abbey Rowlands was seen driving her car into the paved area where the violence was unfolding, bumping into Leon Lowe. With Kelly and McCarthy-Harrington retreating into the shop, Rowlands, Lowe, and Corey remonstrated near the entrance.
McCarthy-Harrington then emerged from the store and hurled a bottle of wine towards the Skoda, smashing the windscreen. Lowe, Corey, and Rowlands aimed blows at him before she re-entered the driver's seat. With Lowe and another unidentified man on board, the car lurched forwards into McCarthy-Harrington before being driven away.
Victim's injuries and background
Kelly sustained a partial amputation of his ear during the incident. After the attack, he entered the store and attempted to steal a bottle of wine but was stopped. The 26-year-old, of Priory Road in Seacombe, has previous convictions for robbery, attempted robbery, arson, burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, and handling stolen goods.
His counsel Peter White said: "He is in an odd position, where he is an offender on two counts and, notwithstanding that he never made any complaint, he is also named as a victim on a further two counts. It is fair to say that Mr Kelly came off, it would appear, far worse. Since he has been in custody, he tells me that he has completed various courses. He hopes to gain employment on the railways. He had a particularly disrupted childhood and left school at a very early age."
Sentences handed down
Corey Scholes, 19, of Curzon Avenue in New Brighton, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray. He was handed an eight-month imprisonment suspended for 12 months with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days, plus a £500 fine. His lawyer Lucy Moran said: "Clearly, this is a serious assault. Corey Scholes' involvement in the assault begins at about 25 seconds into the CCTV footage. It ends approximately 25 seconds after. Mr Scholes is in a somewhat unique position. This can safely be said to be an isolated incident for him. He is remorseful and has a diagnosis of ADHD and additional learning needs."
Rowlands, 23, of Walton, pleaded guilty to affray and careless driving. She was sentenced to nine months suspended for a year with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement, fined £300, and given five penalty points on her licence. Her lawyer John Rowan said she maintained the car effectively stalled, and she panicked after McCarthy-Harrington threw the wine bottle.
McCarthy-Harrington, 24, of Falkland Road in Egremont, admitted affray and possession of an offensive weapon. He received seven months suspended for a year with 50 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days. Kelly pleaded guilty to affray and possession of an offensive weapon and was given 12 months behind bars. Lowe, 24, of Rankin Street in Poulton, admitted affray and was handed a year in prison, with both expected to be released soon.
Kieran Scholes, 21, of Duke Street in New Brighton, was found guilty of wounding with intent and affray after a trial and will be sentenced later.
Sentencing, Recorder Anna Price said: "It is clear that there is a background to this matter. Clearly, something has happened between the two groups of people involved. Whatever happened before the incident we can see on CCTV, you are all fully aware that the way in which you behaved was entirely unacceptable."
