FOUR men were given suspended prison sentences for a violent attack on a man in Milford Haven that left him lying unconscious by the side of the road.

Connor Babb, of Glebelands, Milford Haven; Jack Kidby, of Mayfield Road, Neyland; Callum Nolan, of St Margarets Way, Herbrandston; and Benjamin Parry, of Shakespeare Avenue, Milford Haven; were all sentenced today, March 2, at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court, after pleading guilty to committing ABH on 25-year-old Ryan Milward.

The defendants were given 26 week prison sentences, suspended for 24 months in what both prosecution and defence agreed was a shocking and unprovoked attack.

Prosecuting solicitor Nia James explained how, at 5pm on Friday, September 18, 2021, Mr Millward had gone out with friends from work and ended up drinking in the Lord Kitchener.

Mr Millward said he had had nine pints over the course of the evening and reckoned, out of ten, he was "a six to seven" on a scale of drunkenness but still aware of his surroundings.

Mr Millward described the pub atmosphere as good and did not remember when he left, but that he phoned his mum at around ten-to-two, and ten minutes later he was attacked.

In describing the attack Ms James said it was a group attack committed by all four victims, who continued the attack when Mr Millward was on the floor.

It was described that Kidby kicked Mr Millward to the floor and punched him several times in the face. Nolan kicked Mr Millward twice.

Parry kicked Mr Millward three or four times, before being thrown to the floor himself by a third party, and Babb was kneeling at Kidby’s side and punched Mr Millward in the face about eight times, while Mr Millward was on the floor.

In a victim statement Mr Millward said he did not understand why he was attacked and that the incident will stay with him for the rest of his life.

He described how he did not remember anything until he was woken by a police officer, and only knows what happened from people telling him and through a video doing the rounds on WhatsApp.

Mr Millward went on to say:

“It has mentally affected me. I am scared to see them again in case they attack me. I will never get over the long-term effects. They will mentally scare me for the rest of my life.

“I did not provoke these males in any way and I am not sure why they assaulted me. It has really affected me and my family, and I struggle to sleep.”

A doctor’s statement read out in court said injuries included to the head and face and on the front and back of his body.

Probation’s report made by Mrs Julie Norman said it was hard to establish how the incident happened and that there were conflicting accounts as to why it started.

Kidby, 18, who is on  Universal Credit, said his drink was spiked because he cannot remember anything other than what he has seen on CCTV.

Nolan, 18, who lives with his parents and works part-time as a kitchen porter at Bluestone, said he attacked Mr Millward by way of retaliation, because he thought Mr Millward was looking for a fight.

Parry, 20, who works full-time at McDonalds, made no comment but accepts CCTV footage shows him kicking Mr Millward while Mr Millward was on the floor.

Babb, 19, who lives with his parents and works as a bartender at Bluestone, said he carried out the attack because he thought Mr Millward had pushed a girl.

Babb also said the punches he dealt were not hard and that he did not accept he caused any injuries.

In mitigation, Mr Peter Tarr, who was representing Parry and Nolan, said his clients took full responsibility for what happened.

Mr Tarr said the incident was a real eye opener for Parry.

Mr Tarr also said Parry suffers from social anxiety and a period of custody "absolutely terrifies him."

Mr Tarr said Nolan was devastated to be losing his clean character and has not only brought shame on himself but also his family.

Defence solicitor Tom Lloyd, described all four men as ‘babies’ in the context of legal system, who were not street-wise.

Mr Lloyd, who represented Babb and Kidby, said Kidby knows it is appalling, and he is disgusted by his actions. 

Mr Lloyd said Babb was an 18-year-old man who is working and ambitious – it was said Babb has a passion for agriculture.

Mr Lloyd then went on to recognise three points that proved a realistic prospect of rehabilitation for all men: the remorse shown, their age, and their clean characters.

In sentencing, presiding magistrate Joan Morris described the offence as terrible.

Mrs Morris said:

“This was a nasty, unprovoked group attack. It was prolonged, persistent and involved a weapon; a clad foot.

“We do recognise that there are some mitigating circumstances, namely the remorse shown, their ages, lack of maturity shown and in the case of three of you, no previous convictions. On Mr Kidby, no relevant convictions.”

The four defendants were made subject to a two year restraining order against Mr Millward and made to do 200 hours unpaid work each.

Each were also made to pay compensation of £230 each and costs of £85, and a surcharge of £128.