A thug who was kicked out of a bar called his mate for backup – they then attacked door staff with baseball bats. Martin Joyce, 41, had been drinking at Bar 11 in Manchester city centre, when he was asked to leave.
After making numerous threats, he called Ross Lynch, 38, who arrived within three minutes – with metal baseball bats. Both men then began to attack the bar, injuring one of the doormen, in a violent confrontation. They have now been jailed at Minshull Street Crown Court.
Peter Malone, prosecuting, said the doorman was stood outside Bar 11 on Bridge Street on July 7 this year when Joyce stood in the doorway at around 2.40am on his way out of the bar. The doorman asked him to move, to which Joyce responded: “Why, what are you going to do about it?”
“The doorman moved this male by his arm, and described him as very aggressive, very drunk and starting to make threats,” said Mr Malone. At around 3.18am witnesses noticed the male (Joyce) outside threatening ‘I’m going to f*** you up’. He then made a call to another person saying: ‘Bring something to me’.”
Joyce’s friend, Lynch, arrived three minutes later with metal baseball bats and rods. When Joyce got hold of the bat, he stated: “Now, what are you doing to do?” He was asked to leave, and briefly got back into the car with Lynch.
The pair drove off towards Deansgate before turning around and returning to Bar 11. They both then ‘ran’ towards the bar and started to attack them with the bats, Mr Malone said.
The doorman managed to grab at the bat before the men got back into the car and drove off. Richard Brigden, mitigating for Joyce, said the doorstaff had ‘smashed up the car’ prior to Joyce and Lynch leaving.
The whole incident lasted up to 15 minutes long before the two men fled. Police later caught up with the car after it had crashed, but the occupants had gone. Weeks later Lynch was spoken to at home, and said he hadn’t been involved as his car had been stolen.
In a statement, the doorman said he was scared the men would come back, adding: “I don’t expect to be assaulted at my place of work.”
Both men have since pleaded guilty to affray and possession of an offensive weapon. Joyce admitted a further charge of assault occasioning actual bodily against the doorman, and Lynch admitted perverting the course of justice.
Lynch also pleaded guilty to a further charge of possession of an offensive weapon after he had been stopped in April 2024 with a Stanley knife in the central console of his car. He was said to have 26 offences on his record including for public order offences and violence.
Mark Friend, mitigating, said Lynch suffered with significant mental health issues, including schizophrenia. He said Lynch was the sole carer for his terminally-ill father, and since his incarceration, his dad has passed away.
“As a consequence of his own actions, he was away from his position of carer. Regrettably whilst in custody, his dad passed away in September 2023 – that is a significant issue for this defendant,” Mr Friend said.
Joyce was said to have 62 offences on his record including for violence and robbery. For Joyce, Mr Brigden said he ‘lost control’ after months of abstinence from alcohol. “He expresses shame and remorse,” he said. “He is doing well in prison and has become a violence reduction representative.”
Sentencing, Judge Neil Usher said: “This was a serious incident of sustained public disorder with weapons. Both the victims and passers-by would have been terrified to see this.”
Lynch, of Sandyhill Road, Blackley, was jailed for 20 months, for affray, possession of an offensive weapon and perverting the course of justice.
Joyce, of HMP Garth, was jailed for 12 months, for affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.
Source – Manchester Evening News
