‘Young men acting rather stupidly’ - Two in court over taxi rank fracas on Yarmouth’s Golden Mile

Sean Redmond, 27, of Iolanthe Drive, Exeter, and Adam Robertson, 28, of Mount Gould Road, Plymouth, appeared before Great Yarmouth Magistrate Court on Wednesday (March 27).

Redmond admitted to three counts of assault by beating, and Robertson pleaded guilty to four.

The charges related to a “drunken melee” on the seafront in the early hours of March 3 outside Britannia Pier.

Robert Barley, for the defendants said: “The position is that both men had come to Great Yarmouth in order to participate and be included in a pool competition.

“They were here for the weekend. They had gone out for the evening and ended up at The Pier.

“They accept they had been drinking but say it started as a result of the other group confronting them.

“Mr Redmond had got talking to a girl and she had invited him back to hers and they got in a taxi.

“Mr Robertson got in and then got out and it appeared that the other group took exception that Mr Redmond was with the girl.

“There is something of a general melee, effectively a group of young men acting rather stupidly in the early hours of the morning having consumed a large amount of alcohol.”

He said his clients were “extremely remorseful and disappointed with their behaviour.”

Victoria Bastock, prosecuting, outlined a scenario outside Britannia Pier which saw the two men get in a taxi with some girls who complained they didn’t know them and wanted them removed, at which point some of their male friends got involved.

Injuries sustained included a bruised chin, a cut lip and a cut palm.

A phone screen also had to be replaced costing £150.

Robertson was ordered to pay £357.50 in fines, costs and compensation, and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

Redmond’s total added up to £327.50 and he was told to do 80 hours of unpaid work.

Handing out the sentence chairman of the bench Darren Gilkes said: “That’s what drinking does and you are paying the consequences today.”