Drunk Ashfield thugs knocked man unconscious and broke his leg after telling him they were going to have sex with his girlfriend

Michael Reeves and Dale Harwood had been sitting outside the pub, along with a wider group, where they had made a number of suggestive remarks towards the woman throughout the course of the evening.

When the victim arrived at around 10pm, Reeves and Harwood started making ‘lewd’ comments to him about taking his girlfriend home and having sex with her, Nottingham Crown Court was told on Tuesday, June 15.

However, when he did not react, Harwood squared up to him and punched him once to the head, knocking him out cold – while Reeves stamped on his leg, breaking it in three places.

One of the pair’s young children, who was present at the time of the attack, also joined in with the assault ‘following his father’s example’, the court was told

When he realised the attack was going too far Harwood dragged Reeves away – but the victim was left needing emergency treatment and spent a period of time walking with a limp, which doctors hope he will recover from.

Reeves, 41, of Selston Road, Jacksdale, had admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent when he appeared before the court on March 18.

Harwood, 36, of Alfreton Road, Underwood, had initially denied the attack, but admitted causing GBH without intent on the day of his planned trial back in April, the court was told.

The attack, which took place outside the Poachers Alehouse, on Main Road, Jacksdale, was caught on the pub’s CCTV and showed the child getting involved in the affray.

Mitigating for Reeves, David Watts said the defendant was a model prisoner since he was remanded into custody for the offence and had no contact with his partner and children since the assault.

"He is involved in the cleaning operation at the prison and has a security pass which allows him to move around the prison to carry out his duties without being accompanied by prison officers,” he said.

David Outterside, for Harwood, said he was of previous good character, had struck a single blow to the victim and had then tried to intervene to end the attack.

"It was a single blow and he played no further part in the violence,” he told the court.

Reeves was jailed for a total of four years for the assault, while Harwood was jailed for 22 months, suspended for two years. He must also complete 180 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Recorder Cameron Crowe also issued a two-year restraining order against both men, not to contact their victim.

Sentencing, he said: “This man was minding his own business while waiting for his girlfriend outside the pub. You were both drunk and behaving in a lewd manner, and you were both spoiling for a fight.

“People do not deserve to be attacked for no reason, when they are simply collecting their partner from work.”

Addressing Reeves, he said: “This was a wholly unprovoked attack and you intended to cause serious harm.”