Wareham pair jailed after attack in Swanage (From Bournemouth Echo)

Wareham pair jailed after attack in Swanage

4:00pm Thursday 31st January 2013 in News

A JUDGE has jailed two young men for an attack which left their victim with a broken jaw.

Rhys Harkins, 19, and Hayden Sebego, 20, were sentenced to 15 months in custody for inflicting grievous bodily harm on Matthew Broomfield in Swanage last July.

Sebego, of Christmas Close, Wareham, also received a two-month sentence, to run consecutively, for assault on a special constable.

Sadie Rizzo, prosecuting, said Mr Broomfield could see the two were “looking for trouble” when they approached him at about 11pm. They followed him into Institute Road, where he was pulled to the floor.

Miss Rizzo said Harkins and Sebego both kicked Mr Broomfield while he was on the floor, leaving him unconscious.

Shortly afterwards, special constable Sarah Howard saw Sebego in Swanage and went to arrest him but was pushed to the floor, causing her to fall and hit her head.

She required three stitches.

Mr Broomfield suffered a broken jaw that required three operations, as well as a fractured elbow, cuts and bruises and a painful right hand.

The injuries meant he had to give up an opportunity to move to New Zealand for a job.

Robert Griffiths, representing Harkins, said his client had suffered a bad start in life and had gone “off the rails”.

He said Harkins, of Mellstock Crescent, Wareham, now wanted to apologise to Mr Broomfield.

Robert Pawson, representing Sebego, said his client felt “genuine shame”.

Judge Roger Jarvis also imposed a five-year anti-social behaviour order on each man.