26 May Chicago’s bouncers spared jail after leaving a birthday boy unconscious
Two bouncers who battered a man celebrating his 18th birthday unconscious and broke his friend’s leg after kicking them out of a nightclub have been spared jail.
Paul Dixon and Edward West initially denied attacking friends Tyrell Braithwaite and Ben Venables outside Chicago’s in Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, in March 2014, but changed their pleas to guilty on May 3 this year, just as their trial had been due to start.
The assault left birthday boy Mr Venables unconscious and Mr Braithwaite, 20 at the time of the attack, with a broken leg and dislocated ankle.
At their sentencing hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday (May 25) Christopher Martin, prosecuting, said the pair had initially been turned away from the club, before later gaining entry.
But within minutes, they were removed by Dixon and West, and after struggling with the bouncers, suffered the violent assault.
Mr Martin said: “It was about 1am when the pair were ejected from the club. It is undoubtedly the case that Mr Venables was struggling and grabbing at the legs of the doorman.
“However, the important point in this matter is what happened once Mr Dixon and Mr West had removed them from the club.”
An independent witness, Daniel Cooper, had initially helped the bouncers remove Mr Venables and Mr Braithwaite from the club.
However, he then saw the brutal beating that followed, with West, 35, of Perryfields, Braintree, setting his sights on Mr Venables.
