‘Pack of animals’ who left boxer preventing for all times name choose ‘nonce’ from dock

A “pack of animals” called a judge a “nonce” and a “paedophile” as they were locked up for their roles in a viscious attack.

Boxer Anthony Dodson was left with life-threatening injuries when he was stabbed in the heart after fighting broke out in a Liverpool nightclub and spilled out into the street. Some of those burned their designer clothing in a park and attempted to flee to France as illegal stowaways on a lorry in the aftermath of the near fatal assault.

Milne Critchley, Adam Draper, Lee Duffy, Jordan Kinsella, Eugene Mason-Lamb, George Miller and Cameron Quinn and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be identified for legal reasons – were convicted of offences including unlawful wounding and violent disorder following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

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During their sentencing, six were handed custodial terms totalling 46 years. One was spared an immediate prison sentence, while the youth will learn his fate today, the ECHO reports.

Judge Stuart Driver KC said: “A punch thrown by George Miller sparked violent disorder inside the club, involving several of these defendants. In the incident, one man was struck with a bottle and kicked while he was on the ground and the bottle was then used by throwing to wound the scalp of another man. A knife was brandished.

“Most of the defendants were ejected but remained outside. A few minutes later one of the victims, Kia Robinson, came out, and he was attacked by about half a dozen men who had at least three weapons – a knife, a sharp piece of glass and a large fan – and he suffered a scalp wound and other injuries.

“His friend, Alex Murphy, tried to protect him. He was stabbed in the back with a piece of glass and slashed at with a knife. The victims then went back inside. The defendants’ group waited outside for them.

“Some minutes later, the four victims came out and were confronted by a much larger group. The footage shows the small group walking backwards, backing away as a large group advances towards them throwing missiles.

“Anthony Dodson became separated and alone. He was surrounded and he was punched, kicked and stabbed. His injuries were certainly life-threatening.

“He is lucky to be alive. The emergency services reached him almost immediately as he lay in the street. Had they not, it is likely that his family would have suffered a tragedy and these defendants would have faced homicide charges.

“He has not made a full recovery. One eyewitness described these defendants as behaving like a pack of animals. No reasonable person could disagree with that.

“It was a group attack of 10 onto one. In each case, it is mitigated by the fact that each defendant did not actually inflict the knife wound.”

Mr Dodson was found collapsed at the junction of Church Street and Whitechapel at around 5am on December 27 last year, having been stabbed twice in the heart and twice more near to the armpit. The 21-year-old was not breathing and had gone into cardiac arrest, but his “life was saved” thanks to the intervention of medics.

He had earlier been out celebrating Boxing Night with a group of friends, some of whom also suffered serious injuries during the altercation. One, Alexander Murphy, was stabbed to his lower back while another, Kia Robinson, was struck to the head and left with a “large gash”.

A fourth casualty, Samuel Finlay, “got away relatively unscathed” after apparently having a bottle of Disaronno thrown at his head inside the Safehouse bar on Victoria Street.

“These victims were unarmed, outnumbered and outmanoeuvred. Punches and kicks were supplemented by the use of knives, bottles and improvised weapons that simply came to hand,” the prosecution said.

The incident thereafter continued on Whitechapel, where the defendants were said to have searched in wheelie bins “for objects to pick up and throw”.

Mr Dodson was able to escape to Church Street, where he collapsed as a result of his injuries. Miller and Duffy were meanwhile seen “shadow boxing” as they walked off while “showing off in high spirits and celebrating the violence that they had been a part of just moments before”.

Critchley’s “distinctive” black Givenchy sweater was subsequently discovered “charred but recognisable” on Thirlmere Park in Everton alongside several burned mobile phones in what was described as an “attempt to destroy evidence which would link him and others to the incident”. He, Draper, Quinn and Mr Bowland were later arrested in Folkstone, Kent, after attempting to leave the UK for France as illegal stowaways in the back of a lorry.

Kinsella and Mason-Lamb were detained by officers while “out and about” while Duffy, Miller and the teen handed themselves into the police. Jones has been circulated as wanted by Merseyside Police, but his whereabouts are “currently not known”.

Four of the men seen to be involved in the incident on CCTV footage have not been identified by the force.

Critchley was found guilty of wounding with intent, having admitted violent disorder. Groans were heard in the public gallery and one woman left the courtroom in tears as he was jailed for 10 years, a term of which he must serve two thirds behind bars before becoming eligible for release.

Draper was convicted of unlawful wounding by a jury. The 21-year-old was handed four years and will be subject to a two-year serious violence reduction order upon his release.

Miller admitted violent disorder but was found guilty of wounding with intent. The 20-year-old was locked up for 10 years, of which he must serve at least two thirds in custody.

Quinn was convicted of two counts of wounding with intent, having pleaded guilty to violent disorder. He stood with his arms folded in the dock then shrugged as he was imprisoned for 12 years, of which he must serve two thirds, while a co-defendant patted him on the back.

Kinsella was found guilty of unlawful wounding, having admitted violent disorder. The 29-year-old nodded as he was jailed for four years.

Duffy was convicted of unlawful wounding, attempted unlawful wounding and possession of a bladed article in a public place. He also pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was given six years in a young offenders’ institute.

These six defendants were then led down to the cells – at which point shouts of “you’re a nonce”, “Judge Driver, you touch kids” and “you’re a little paedophile” were heard from the dock. They were also seen to give the thumbs up to their supporters, who in return told them: “Love yous.”

Mason-Lamb – who was allowed to remain out of the dock – admitted violent disorder, having been cleared of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding following the trial. Cries of “yes” and clapping were heard from the public gallery as he was handed a 15-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months, 100 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 25 days.

The youth was found guilty of two counts of wounding with intent and admitted violent disorder. He will be sentenced this morning, Tuesday (September 10).

Mr Dodson is the son of former professional boxer Tony Dodson, who held the British super middleweight title in 2003 and retired in 2016. Anthony Dodson meanwhile won the Merseyside and Cheshire Youth Championship final in 2020 and made it to the quarter finals of the national championship.

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