Judge hits out at 24-hour drinking plan

Andrew Barrow

Judge Charles Harris QC, sitting at Northampton Crown Court, made his remarks while sentencing three young men for a number of assaults they carried out while drunk and high on drugs on a night out in Kettering.

One of their victims was left in a coma for three weeks after he was beaten unconscious in the street.

Sentencing the three, Nathan Milne, aged 25, Nathan Hadfield, aged 20, and Jamie Bradshaw, aged 20, yesterday, Judge Harris said: “This illustrates a great deal of what is wrong with a substantial proportion of young people today who drink in excess, take drugs and if possible watch football. This reduces you to a state of brutal mindless aggression and you focus on people who you attack, or fight or rob.

“People, or people like you, are making the towns of England revolting and dangerous places at night.

“It is being assisted by legislation to make alcohol available at all times of the day and night, which is OK for reasonable human beings, but you are of the attitude of trying to drink as much as you can for as long as you can.

“You became ugly, urban savages by your behaviour which resulted in serious violence. You and others like you must be punished and deterred from this sort of behaviour.”

The three football fans went on their violent rampage after watching France beat England in the European Championships last summer.