RESIDENTS of a quiet market town popular with tourists have won praise for the way they stopped the violence of a trio of local thugs.

The three young men “drove a man’s head into the pavement” and punched and kicked two brothers as they lay on the ground, York Crown Court heard.

The two victims and their partners were enjoying their holiday in the North Yorkshire countryside when the trio told one brother off for “shouting in my street” and when the brother apologised, followed them and set about them.

The second brother told the court that he had not encountered violence like it before, even when he was in Afghanistan, and that his head had been “driven into the pavement”.

“I am forced to recognise that effectively some people will seek to cause harm to others for no better reason than for their own amusement,” he said.

Rachael Landin, prosecuting, said when local residents saw what was happening in their High Street, they came out to remonstrate with and film the three attackers, protect the victims and call police. They stayed at the scene until officers arrived.

The first victim told the court: “I will forever be grateful for the support they showed, stopping the assault, preventing further harm and caring for us all until the incident was over.”

Scaffolder Levi Marcus Lumley, 23, then of Nidd Walk, Pateley Bridge, kitchen porter and joiner Jaycob Thomas Wallis, 19, then of New Church Street, Pateley Bridge, and labourer Luke Joseph Ridley Young, 18, then of Nidd View, Lofthouses, all pleaded guilty to affray. Lumley also admitted stealing a car he had obtained by hire purchase. Two of the three have left the area since the incident in Pateley Bridge on August 14, 2021. Only Lumley had a previous conviction.

“It was a shocking piece of violence,” the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris told them. Places like Pateley Bridge couldn’t afford to get a reputation for violence such as the three thugs had shown as it would drive tourists away and ruin local businesses, he said.

Lumley and Wallis were each given nine-month prison sentences suspended for 12 months. Lumley, who was also given a 12-month community order, must do 300 hours’ unpaid work and 40 days’ rehabilitative activities, Wallis must do 300 hours’ unpaid work and 25 days’ rehabilitative activities. Young, who was 17 at the time of the affray, was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months on condition he does 200 hours’ unpaid work and 15 days’ rehabilitative activities. Each must pay £240 compensation which will be divided equally between the brothers.

Barristers for all three defendants said they had not offended since and had behaved out of character.

For Lumley, Marte Alnaes said he had been drinking and that his family would suffer if he was jailed.

For Wallis, John Hobley said he had had to do some fast maturing for family reasons.

For Young, Erin Kitson-Parker said he was remorseful and wanted to change.

Ms Landin said the brothers suffered minor injuries.