A Long Eaton teen could face life for stabbing a man during a pub brawl in Southport. The victim sustained a collapsed lung.
George Bennett, 19, has a history of violent convictions, leading to the possibility of a very long prison term. Jacob Cleaver, another man from Long Eaton who was due for sentencing soon, ran away. Jamie Turner, also from Long Eaton, was involved in the altercation as well.
The incident occurred at the Fox and Goose pub in Southport on October 18 last year. Reece Ashall spoke to Cleaver by the bar that night, appearing to try and calm him down.
According to Nicola Daley, Cleaver punched Ashall hard, causing him to fall to the floor. Cleaver then kicked and pushed Ashall before Bennett stabbed him in the back.
Initially, Turner grabbed Bennett’s arm, attempting to pull Cleaver away from Ashall. However, he later joined the fight himself, behaving aggressively with the pub staff.
Video footage showed the fight originating near a machine adorned with Mike Tyson pictures. The confrontation then moved to the dance floor. Ashall realized he had been stabbed later in the toilets, and a friend quickly drove him to the hospital.
Ashall was hospitalized for six days with a collapsed lung resulting from the stabbing. He required three blood transfusions and a chest drain. He recalled Cleaver asking him what his problem was before unexpectedly attacking him.
Bennett’s prior convictions include a 15-month sentence at age 15 for wounding someone. At 14, he received 12 months for another wounding offense. In 2023, Bennett received an additional 16 months for an affray at HMYOI Werrington where he stabbed another inmate in the head with a pen during a 43-second attack.
Cleaver has 17 previous convictions including battery and public order offenses. He received six months for assault in 2016, followed by 81 months for wounding someone, a crime in which Turner was also involved. Turner has 11 prior convictions with 9 sentences, including a nine-year term for wounding with intent, with Cleaver as his co-defendant.
Bennett admitted to wounding with intent, while Cleaver and Turner admitted affray. Their sentencing was delayed due to insufficient court time that day. An arrest warrant was issued for Cleaver after he failed to appear in court. Paul Wood stated that his team doubted Cleaver would show up, suggesting he absconded to avoid prison.
Cleaver and Turner will be sentenced on February 19, while Bennett’s sentencing is scheduled for April pending a psychiatric report. Judge Brian Cummings KC indicated that Bennett might face a life sentence. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation, particularly for a young person, before deciding.