Beer fuelled assault on students
4:00pm Friday 15th June 2012 in News
By Greg Fountain, Reporter/Photographer
Drunkenly attacking two students while pronouncing that “everyone from England needs to die” landed one Falmouth man in court last week.
William Douglas Stevens, of Tresawle Road, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault at Truro Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The 46-year-old had been drinking Special Brew all afternoon on May 16, consuming six cans by 10.45pm, the court heard.
Matthew Spiller and Kirsitoff Beens were out in town “minding their own business" when the defendant approached them.
He demanded a cigarette from them and when they refused he said "f**k off back to England, I’m Cornish and everyone from England needs to die,” said Anita Kennett, prosecuting.
Stevens lashed out at the pair, making contact with Mr Spiller but missing Mr Beens and at this point they “became quite concerned and asked if they gave him a cigarette would he leave them alone,” Mrs Kennett added.
“He [Stevens] replied: ‘no because you are not from Cornwall.’”
On his arrest, Stevens said he couldn’t remember much about the assault because he was so drunk and said that he regretted his actions.
Robin Smith, for the defence, said: “Whilst these may not be the worst type of assaults, they are rather nasty and unpleasant.
“Picking on these young lads without cause, or logic, or explanation – certainly he had had far too much Special Brew through that afternoon.
“He has no idea what caused him to pick on these two lads in the first place and then to do and say what he did in the second.”
Stevens, described as a “Redruth man born and bred”, lived a rather itinerant lifestyle before returning to Cornwall eight years ago, the court heard.
Father to a 13-year-old daughter, who now lives in Wales with her mother, he suffers from a number of medical conditions including heart problems, arthritis in his thumbs and metal plates in his legs.
He was made subject to a 12 month conditional discharge and drink banning order and ordered to pay £100 compensation to Mr Spiller and £75 to Mr Beens.
