WATCH: Tears in the dock as group who brawled in Peterborough city centre streets in 4am fight sentenced

A group of six who brawled in Peterborough city centre streets in a 4am drink fuelled fight have been sentenced at court.

Some members of the group - who were all teenagers at the time - punched and kicked their victims in Broadway and Westgate in the early hours of April 3 last year.

The fight, which lasted for nearly 20 minutes and took place over ‘two phases’ at around 4am, was caught on CCTV - and even showed one member of the group removing his belt to use as a weapon, as by-standers were left shocked by the violence.

On Wednesday, July 12, all six appeared at Peterborough Crown Court, where they were sentenced for their actions.

Maya Mason, 20, Cowslip Drive, Deeping St James, Grace Fowler, 20, Mill Road, Maxey, Oliver Lord, 19, Penwald Court, Peakirk, Charles Woollard, 20, School Lane, Maxey, Connor Davenport-Gidney, 20, Barbers Hill, Peterborough and Jack Roberts, 20, Church Close, Newborough had all admitted their involvement at a previous hearing.

Group all could have walked away – but stayed for ‘appalling’ incident of public disorder

There were tears in the packed public gallery, and in the dock, as Lord and Roberts were both sentenced to time in a young offenders’ institute by Judge Matthew Lowe.

The other four defendants were given suspended sentences for their roles.

Judge Lowe said: “It was open to all the defendants to simply walk away, but none of you chose that option. You all stayed and played your part in an appalling and prolonged incident of public disorder.”

Belt used in street fight

Jack Wright, prosecuting, showed the court the CCTV footage, explaining the actions of each defendant.

Mr Wright said the footage showed Woollard kicking out at the first victim, before Roberts and Mason threw punches.

Roberts was also seen removing his belt and using it as a weapon - with Mr Wright saying the buckle end was used to strike the man.

There were also kicks delivered by Davenport-Gidney.

After a few minutes, the group started to leave the scene - although Roberts was seen trying to ‘re-engage’ in the affray - but was pulled away by other members of the group.

The footage then showed the group move round the corner, to the junction of Westgate and Broadway, where an argument was started involving other victims, with Fowler and Mason throwing punches.

Davenport-Gidney sustained a number of injuries in the second phase of the incident, and was left unconscious on the floor.

In a statement read to the court, one of the victims said he had suffered some injuries, including one cut to his face that needed a number of stitches and left him with scars. He said the incident had impacted his confidence, his social life and his work life.

Mr Wright described Roberts as ‘the sparking point’ of the incident, with defendants explaining a derogatory comment aimed at his partner and co-defendant Mason, starting the trouble.

Barristers call for suspended sentences

Barristers representing all six defendants conceded that the custodial threshold had been passed in each case - but called for sentences to be suspended, saying they were young people, who had expressed remorse.

The court was told that Lord was the only one of the six defendants with a previous conviction for violence, having been convicted GBH following an attack on a stranger in 2021.

The sentences received by each defendant

Judge Lowe said the fact that Roberts had played the leading role in the first phase of the incident, and the fact Lord had ‘displayed persistent and serious violence’ meant he could not suspend the sentences.

Roberts, who pleaded guilty to two counts of affray, and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (AOABH) and possession of an offensive weapon, was given a seven month sentence.

Lord, who pleaded guilty to two counts of affray and two counts of AOABH, was given a total sentence of six months.

Woollard, who pleaded guilty to one count of affray and one count of AOABH, Davenport-Gidney, who pleaded guilty to one count of affray, and Mason, who pleaded guilty to two counts of affray and one count of possession of class A drugs (cocaine) were given five month sentences, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Mason was also ordered to take part in a mental health treatment requirement for 12 days, and a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days. Davenport-Gidney and Woollard were ordered to pay £250 compensation to one victim, while Mason was ordered to pay the same amount to two separate victims.

Fowler, who pleaded guilty to one count of affray and possession of class A drugs (cocaine) was given a three month sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, and take part in a rehabilitation activity requirement for 15 days.