A club bouncer said it was a ‘miracle’ he did not lose his arm following an assault involving a machete by a man whom he had booted out of a nightclub.
Aaron Newton, 39, was evicted from the Dodge nightclub in Accrington on December 18, 2022. As he left the premises, he threatened to return with reinforcements, later coming back with his nephew Cameron Newton who had hidden a machete on his person.
Newton has been jailed for six years for his part in the attack with his nephew Cameron being sentenced to four years at an earlier hearing, reports Lancs Live.
Preston Crown Court heard Newton had been drinking and taking cocaine before the incident. The defendant, of Brook Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to affray but denied wounding with intent. However he was found guilty of the second offence following a trial.
In a statement, his victim said he suffered a ‘graphic’ injury to his arm which left his bones exposed. He said: “It is a miracle my arm wasn’t chopped off.”
He said he had lost around £10,000 of income as he was unable to perform his day job as a butcher to his usual standard as it requires strength and accuracy. He missed out on work as a doorman over the festive period while recovering from his injury and had to take out loans to cover his living costs.
The victim was a keen bodybuilder and had been looking forward to competing in the sport in 2023. However since the attack he can no longer lift weights as he used to and has lost 20kg of muscle.
He said: “I love the gym and lifting weights. It is my whole life. I have always been into fitness and want to be strong. My doctor told me to forget about lifting weights again. This is heartbreaking to me.”
The attack left the doorman suffering anxiety and two months after the attack he said he feared everyone was carrying knives when he was out and about.
“I was at work, doing a job, trying to provide for myself and my loved ones”, he said. “I, and others, should be able to go to work without fearing assault.”
The court heard Newton has a history of ‘indiscriminate’ violent assaults, and has previous convictions for attacks on family members and strangers. In a letter to the court, he said he was remorseful about the incident.
“This was a premeditated revenge attack outside a nightclub when members of the public were going about their business. I am quite satisfied your victim feared for his life.
“It was in drink and drugs and while you feel sorry for the victim you did not, until today, feel responsible. Your previous offending demonstrates violent offending in a range of circumstances – a pub landlord, your elderly neighbour, your own family members, a stranger you took offence at talking to your partner on a pub, and a nightclub doorman.
“That is offending towards people close to you and complete strangers. the pattern is indiscriminate.”
The judge said she was satisfied Newton was able to desist from offending but noted that although he claims to have stopped using cocaine he still goes out with his dad and drinks up to eight pints on a regular basis.
“Going out drinking and using cocaine is the very behaviour that increases your risk to the public at large”, she said. “Your thinking and behaviour causes problems.”
Source – Manchester Evening News