A doorman left a stag party member with a brain injury after knocking him unconscious during a night out in Liverpool city centre.
Off-duty security guard Craig Lamarque was initially said to have acted as a peacemaker before he struck his “completely defenceless” victim – who had been turfed out of a bar on Wood Street moments earlier – in the face with one punch, which saw him fall to the floor and suffer a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. The dad was jailed over the incident yesterday, March 7, on what was his son’s fourth birthday.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday that Mark Sneddon had been visiting the city for the weekend for a stag do. On the evening of December 3 2021, he was with this party – whom the ECHO understands were from Scotland – inside Woody’s Sports and Karaoke Bar, but was said to have been “drunk and being a bit of a nuisance” as well as acting “aggressively” with others in his group.
Kate Morley, prosecuting, described how he was asked to leave as a result, and was “palmed to the floor” by security staff member Will Peters as he was escorted out of the premises. Mr Sneddon then “immediate got up” and began remonstrating with the worker.
At this, Lamarque – a door supervisor who worked at a neighbouring bar but was not on shift at the time – approached and “violently and forcefully” punched the complainant once to the face. The incident was captured on CCTV, with this footage showing that the casualty had been facing away from him at the time and had his hands by his side.
Mr Sneddon then fell backwards and banged his head on the ground, immediately losing consciousness before members of the public, including two off-duty nurses, rushed to his aid. He was taken to hospital and was found to have suffered a “traumatic head injury” – including a 4 to 5cm cut to the back of his head, a fractured skull and left eye and bleeding and bruising to the brain.
A statement was read to the court on his behalf during the hearing. Mr Sneddon, who has no recollection of the night in question, stated that his “life was completely changed” after he spent eight days in hospital, was unable to eat for four weeks and “lost a year of his life going through rehabilitation”.
The self-employed man was also off work for seven months, and was forced to lay off employees as a result. His statement also outlined how he had lost all of his savings and ended up in debt, and is no longer able to play football and other contact sports.
When interviewed following his arrest, father-of-two Lamarque denied that he he had been the assailant. The 35-year-old, of Connolly Avenue in Bootle, has one previous conviction for possession of a bladed article in 2010, as well as cautions for assault and possession of cocaine.
Bernice Campbell, defending, told the court that her client, who has since been working as a security guard at Belle Vale Shopping Centre, had initially “tried to divide the groups” and was “trying to protect his fellow doorman” before delivering the blow “in the heat of the moment”. She added: “Having had knives drawn on his recently, he was hypersensitive to the situation.
“It was one punch. There was no follow through. He has got his life back together. He lost his home, he lost his partner and he lost his car.
“Today is the day of his son’s fourth birthday. He has been very upset talking about the effect on his children, should he lose his freedom today. He is very sorry to Mr Sneddon. He never ever wanted any harm to come to him.
“He just wanted to protected Mr Peters. It was a heightened situation.”
Lamarque was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm by a jury following a trial. He was locked up for 18 months.
Sentencing, Judge David Potter said: “You struck him a single blow to his face. Mr Seddon was completely defenceless.
“It struck him heavily on the chin. It rendered him immediately unconscious.
“The consequences of one punch can be catastrophic. Sheer fortune and the swift and timely assistance provided to him prevented these injuries from being even more serious than they were.
“You briefly lent some assistance, then swiftly left the scene – no doubt aware that you had rendered a man unconscious and seriously injured. You lied throughout your interview in an attempt to avoid the consequences of what you did that night.
“This injury was a life changing one for him. He has found the process of coming to terms with his injury extremely difficult.
“I have read every one of the references, which speak to your otherwise good character. You are a family man.
“The consequences could have been worse than they were. But, as they are, they are still very bad consequences of striking a defenceless man in the street in the manner that you did.”
Lamarque waved and gave a thumbs up to his supporters in the public gallery as he was to the cells. He then told them: “See you soon.”
Source – Liverpool Echo
