Man spared prison after ‘good Samaritan’ attack (From Daily Echo)
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Man spared prison after ‘good Samaritan’ attack
9:25am Monday 23rd August 2010 in News By John Hoskins, Court Reporter
Luke Pritchard
A GAS engineer who assaulted a good Samaritan in the wake of his brother being locked up for manslaughter has walked free from court.
Luke Pritchard, 22, clashed with Jody Miles, who had gone to the aid of two seamen being attacked by a group, including Pritchard’s brother, in Fawley in 2007.
Mr Miles, who passing the scene, rescued the pair, but minutes arriving back at his ship victim Gregory Fernandes collapsed and died.
Stephen Pritchard was jailed for six and a half years. Mr Miles was awarded £250 with a commendation for his public spiritedness.
Luke Pritchard however took exception to a remark about the gang being likened to “a group of wild animals.” Months later the pair met by chance in the Varsity Pub in London Road.
Pritchard followed him downstairs to the lavatory where they tussled before a member of staff intervened. A jury at Southampton Crown Court convicted Pritchard, of Hammonds Green, Totton, of common assault.
Pritchard was ordered to carry out 300 hours’ community work and pay £300 costs.
“Take this as a strong warning,” said Judge Derwin Hope, who accepted they had met by chance.
In mitigation, Tim Forster said: “He very much regrets what has happened. He has hurt his family, having already suffered a great deal through his brother. It was not a case of acting in hot blood pursuing a victim.
“He now understands if there is a further meeting he must walk across the road or leave the pub. He does not wish to cause any further upset to his family.”
Comments(38)
J.K.
says...
9:46am Mon 23 Aug 10
Lone Ranger
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9:50am Mon 23 Aug 10
.
I am sure that Mr Miles will not be taking such action in the future. He has received "no protection" by way of real prosecution and sentence to the Scum Bag Pritchard
SotonLad
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9:57am Mon 23 Aug 10
StEmmosfire
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10:18am Mon 23 Aug 10
Balmoral
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10:19am Mon 23 Aug 10
88hythe
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10:19am Mon 23 Aug 10
ToastyTea
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10:36am Mon 23 Aug 10
88hythe wrote:umm did you miss the articles that reported that lots of those involved at saints vs pompey did go to prison ?? (who didn't actually commit violence anyway like has happened here). I guess youre referring to the pompey stuff.
This Low life scum should have been put away like the football hooligans but one rule for one and one rule for another.
Makes me sick reading about violent idiots like this that get off with lame sentences.
Reality-man
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11:02am Mon 23 Aug 10
espanuel
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11:59am Mon 23 Aug 10
Coathanger
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12:26pm Mon 23 Aug 10
gort
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1:04pm Mon 23 Aug 10
we could make him live in a tough inner city area to get a taste of real life
davesbabe
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1:38pm Mon 23 Aug 10
Bassett-Mikey
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1:55pm Mon 23 Aug 10
Here, There
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1:56pm Mon 23 Aug 10
300 hours of community payback seems appropriate in my opinion.
The Edge of Reason
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1:56pm Mon 23 Aug 10
The Edge of Reason
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1:58pm Mon 23 Aug 10
Mental Micky
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2:15pm Mon 23 Aug 10
garthy
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2:17pm Mon 23 Aug 10
Condor Man
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3:24pm Mon 23 Aug 10
Diogo Fernandes
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7:20pm Mon 23 Aug 10
Diogo Fernandes
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7:31pm Mon 23 Aug 10
We need millions of Jody Miles to make this world a better place to live!
Diogo Fernandes
gort
says...
8:21pm Mon 23 Aug 10
Perspective please, this man was convicted of common assault, the victims 'injuries' would have amounted to no more than "a graze, a scratch, reddening of the skin etc.." it states They Tussled, are you happy for a person to be imprisoned for a tussle ??
300 hours of community payback seems appropriate in my opinion.
Sorry you miss the point as stated before if you are a witness to a crime go to court you need to be protected
from attack by friends family this is a travisty there was not a custodial sentence well done judge
sorry you miss the point
gort
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9:20pm Mon 23 Aug 10
my point is if you are a witness to a crime and go to court
the court must give you maximum protection this judge failed the victim
of both crimes
CHICK59
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9:20pm Mon 23 Aug 10
pod
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10:23pm Mon 23 Aug 10
As for saying that we know nothing of the family concerned, we do know that they have raised one murdering thug and another potential one, not the kind of family I want to know thank you very much. However, I do not know Mr Miles family, but I do know that they have raised a son to be proud of. I do not know the late Mr Fernandez family either, but I know they no longer have a son because he was murdered by your friends son.
FACT not opinion
Diogo Fernandes
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11:49pm Mon 23 Aug 10
Do you want to know more? I know nothing will change your mind. The saddest part is that in such a highly civilized society like England, there are thugs who are indeed....to the imagination of the intelligent readers.
Rudolf Hucker
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12:50am Tue 24 Aug 10
Coathanger wrote:Nutters like Luke Pritchard would be a danger to our boys in Afghanistan.
If this people like this wan't to play hard men, put them in the frontline in Afghanistain , with real hard men. I reckon they'd soon be crying for there mummies. We are just too soft on these people. The law needs to man up!!
No discipline, & a loose cannon. Put him in a Military prison for 7 days....That would teach him a far tougher lesson.
S/W (security word) army-this.
Quite apt.
oz498
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7:50am Tue 24 Aug 10
Balmoral
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8:34am Tue 24 Aug 10
gort wrote:The "sorry" in this appalling post should be for you, missing the point. The attack of which you sugar coat with the word "tussle", is actually more than the scene of the assault. Just as this thug would have had mitigation to soften the blow of his sentence, so would the victim have his side. What should have been taken in to consideration, is the victim has not only put his life on the line in the killing of citizen, he now has the added physical attack from the killers brother. This case has been dealt as a one off disagreement in a bar, when in reality it is a revenge attack and due to this sentence, could very well lead to more threats and assaults. Any judge worth his salt, would see this case and realise the general public need protecting from killers and their cronies/families, that carry out revenge. It seems your post is one of the few from someone who believes they have the right to avenge, even when you are WRONG, rather than let the judicial system take it's course. Ironically, this sentence feeds this same need to avenge wrong-doings, due to its lenience. Based on your post though, i believe you are the kind who think revenge is for you alone, unless out-gunned. Then you'll go running to Mr policeman and scream for a harsh sentence. Sorry you missed the point, though completely understandable from one who clearly believes punishment should be dealt through blinkered eyes...........Diogo Fernandes, please don't think this fool is indicative of the rest of Southampton. Some side with the Judge for reasons only apparent knowing their up-bringing. Rest assured, everyone i have spoken to and nearly everyone on this site, believes he should be locked up with his murdering brother.
56pm Mon 23 Aug 10 Perspective please, this man was convicted of common assault, the victims 'injuries' would have amounted to no more than "a graze, a scratch, reddening of the skin etc.." it states They Tussled, are you happy for a person to be imprisoned for a tussle ?? 300 hours of community payback seems appropriate in my opinion. Sorry you miss the point as stated before if you are a witness to a crime go to court you need to be protected from attack by friends family this is a travisty there was not a custodial sentence well done judge sorry you miss the point
pod
says...
8:48am Tue 24 Aug 10
my final comment on this issue goes to Diogo and his family, I cannot imagine how it feels to lose a son in such terrible circumstances such a long way from home, and hope that I never have to, I am sure your son would be proud of the way you have coped and your acceptance that not everyone in England is a murdering thug, believe me when I say many mothers when we read the report of your sons death in the local paper wept.
The likes of the pritchards will get their comeuppance eventually. I hope personally that no members of their family sleep soundly in their beds ever again and our haunted by thoughts of your sons death. I am not such a good human being as you.
My thoughts are with you and your family.
pod
says...
8:58am Tue 24 Aug 10
regarding the disgraceful one from gort, does anyone know how we the public can go about getting a judge removed from office. There must be some kind of a procedure in place. It would be good to turn this shocking episode into a positive action, and much more rewarding to actually do something about it instead of just talking.
I would be more than happy to get the ball rolling.
TimTam
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11:41am Tue 24 Aug 10
CHICK59
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1:36pm Tue 24 Aug 10
Balmoral
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2:16pm Tue 24 Aug 10
CHICK59 wrote:"no-one knows the Pritchard family". We now know of two. One a murdering thug, The other complicit in a revenge attack on said murdering thug. As for dysfunctional, i think you should google the word and think before writing a truly pathetic attempt at defending the indefensible. Also, using a playground tussle as a comparison of what offences these thugs carried out, prompts me to urge you - please for the sake of any gene you may in future, or may have already passed down - start educating yourself before these incidents and similar wreck more innocent lives.
I am not ashamed to be friends with them,true friends support each other whatever happens and that is what I am doing. As you don't know them you have no right to be calling them 'dysfunctional'. I don't condone violence,and my friend knows that but as I have said in my previous comment no-one knows the Pritchard family so a lot of your comments are unfair. I have seen what they have gone through,and I have no doubt that the boys bitterly regret anything that has happened. At the end of the day none of you were in the court to hear the evidence given by the 'victim' and I note that no-one has criticized the jury who found him not guilty. It appears that most of you have a gripe against his sentence,so I would like to know what you would expect to happen if eg 2 kids have a tousle on the school playground? Do you expect them to go to court and be severely punished?
SafetyPin
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2:27pm Tue 24 Aug 10
There are only a few people who really know what happened that night, only one person has lied under oath and with the help of a very slick tax payer funded barrister cheated his way out of the punishment he deserved. We all know that cases such as these that should be open and shut go to Crown court at the request of the defence because there is always the chance that the jury will make a ridiculous mistake. In this instance the gamble paid off, well done to the barrister we all paid for.
oz498
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6:11pm Tue 24 Aug 10
Last time i checked Totton still comes under a SO4O postcode. My point is he was let off with the type of crime that this city needs to come down hard on.
Diogo Fernandes
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4:48am Wed 25 Aug 10
Spot O'Bother says...
9:32am Mon 23 Aug 10
He followed the guy & beat him up. Premeditated at the very least. The judges in this area are responsible for the violence we are seeing.