A Middlesbrough man violently attacked a doorman before blaming it on his dead brother. Stephen Leadbeater threw multiple punches at the man’s head, struck him with a glass bottle and bit him on the chest.
The 42-year-old also stamped several times on his head and hit him over the head with a pint glass. When he was identified as being the attacker, he claimed it was his brother – who looked similar and died in 2022.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the door supervisor was attacked by Leadbeater while he was working at Longlands Social Club in Middlesbrough on the night between July 31, 2021 and August 1, 2021.
Cainan Lonsdale, prosecuting, said the victim had been asking people to drink up and was clearing drinks from tables. When he reached the table of another male, a scuffle broke out.
The prosecutor said Leadbeater ran from his seat to get involved and threw multiple punches to his head. He told the court: “He picked up a bottle and hit him with it.
“The defendant bit him on the chest through his work shirt. The defendant proceeded to stamp on his head a few times. As he attempted to get back up on his feet, the defendant hit him on the head with a pint glass.”
Mr Lonsdale said the victim was admitted to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough for treatment. He had a large laceration to his forehead and a bite mark on his chest.
He said: “The defendant was arrested on the 13th August. He was later interviewed under caution.
“He suggested the door supervisor had been the aggressor in the footage and denied he was present on the footage.” Leadbeater was later identified by the victim during an identification procedure.
He claimed it was well known that his twin brother had committed the offence and they looked a like. Further inquiries revealed that he wasn’t part of a multiple birth and he wasn’t a twin.
The court in Middlesbrough heard how the incident had taken so long to get to court due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a victim impact statement, the doorman said he had been left with a scar on his head.
Mr Lonsdale said: “When he touches his head it reminds him what the defendant did.” The victim said he was still not working in the security business as he did not want to put his health at risk again.
At around 4.35pm on September 19 this year, Leadbeater climbed up a signal gantry at Middlesbrough Train Station. Trains had to be cancelled, costing Network Rail just under £54,000, while negotiators talked him down.
He was taken to Roseberry Park Hospital where he was deemed fit to be arrested by police. Mr Lonsdale said he told officers that his intention was to kill himself and he wanted “the people in his ears arresting”.
Leadbeater, of Longlands Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and causing a public nuisance. He appeared in court via a video link to Holme House prison in Stockton.
Judge Jonathan Carroll said: “Another person, not you, got involved in a fracas with (the victim), as a result of (the victim) just doing his job. You were sat down but you got up, ran from your seat and became involved. So suddenly this became a two on one fight.
“Eventually an ID procedure was undertaken and you were positively identified. There after you began to blame your deceased brother, insisting that he was your twin.
“Whereas further inquiries revealed you’re not a twin at all. You were quite happy to use your deceased brother as some type of attempt to side step the harm you have caused.”
In relation to the railway incident, the judge said: “It took about two hours to pull you down. Your conduct caused just shy of £54,000 worth of costs to Network Rail.”
Leadbeater was sentenced to 54 months in prison. He must serve two third of the sentence before he can be released.
Source – Teeside Live