A GANG of “feral” thugs has been jailed for a series of brutal attacks, including one which left a man scared to go out in his own town.

The out-of-control youngsters carried out assaults in Thirsk throughout 2009, mostly on visiting servicemen. One victim, 48-year-old Steve Rose, is still afraid to leave his home and needs counselling.

Judge Peter Bowers passed custodial sentences totalling eight years and called the thugs “a disgrace”.

In one case, all four acted together while in others they were either in pairs or in larger groups, prosecutor Victoria Lamballe told Teesside Crown Court.

Defence lawyers said the louts, all in their teens at the time, had since matured.

Judge Bowers accepted “water has passed under the bridge” but said: “During 2009, individually and sometimes collectively, you ran around like a pack of feral animals.”

Kenny Lee Wilson, now 21, was jailed for three years, while Daniel Dodsworth, 20, and Jamie Marsden, 19, received two years. Richard Clark, 17, was given a 12-month sentence. The judge lifted an order which banned the media from identifying him, but North Yorkshire Police refused to release his picture.

The court heard all four had criminal records containing convictions for offences of violence and public disorder.

In February 2009, Wilson was involved in a fracas near a pub in which serviceman Liam Henderson, 20, was stabbed. It was said Wilson was armed with a machete and told the victim’s friend as he tried to calm the trouble: “F*** off, I will slit you.”

Wilson claimed he was not the knifeman, and he was cleared of unlawful wounding after a trial last year, but was convicted of affray.

While on bail for the offence, he was involved in an incident in May 2009 when another man was said to have been assaulted.

The alleged victim refused to co-operate with police, and Wilson pleaded guilty to a public order offence.

Three months later, Marsden and Dodsworth attacked Steve Rose, after he complained about loud music late at night.

Speaking after the sentencing, Mr Rose said: “I can’t go shopping or even just for a drink with friends in Thirsk because there are always people threatening me.

“People ask why I don’t just leave but I was born and brought up here. Why should I have to leave my home because of scum like that?

“It’s going to be very difficult even though they have gone down. The last 20 months have been hell.”

On the night of the attack, Mr Rose went outside to clean up after his dog when he was spotted by Dodsworth, who was at a party nearby.

Dodsworth ran at Mr Rose shouting that he would “kick his head in” and punched him to the floor.

He was joined by Marsden and others joined in, kicking Mr Rose in the head until he was unconscious.

He lost several teeth and had to give up his business.

He said: “When I woke up I was holding my face because of all the blood but when I moved my hand away my top lip fell off - it was severed all the way up to my nose. I had to have three hours of plastic surgery to reattach it.”

Wilson, of Kirkgate, Thirsk, admitted one affray, was found guilty of a second and pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour.

Joanne Kidd, mitigating, said his last offence of violence was in December 2009, and urged the judge to impose a suspended sentence. Dodsworth, of Morby Estate, Morby, and Marsden, of Admirals Court, both in Thirsk, admitted two charges of affray.

David Comb, for Dodsworth, said a recent prison sentence had taught him a lesson and he was determined to stay out of trouble.

Joan Smith, for Marsden, said he had since got a job, and was sorry for the injuries he had caused people.

Clark, formerly from Thirsk, but now of Ousegate Lodge, Ousegate, Selby, pleaded guilty to his part in the November affray. His barrister, Adrian Dent, accepted he had to be locked up because he had breached so many non-custodial sentences in the past.

York Press: The Press - Comment

Public’s right to see thug’s face

LORD Hewart in 1924 said: “Not only must justice be done; it must also be seen to be done.” In part it has been with the case of four youths who have been jailed for unspeakable attacks on innocent people in Thirsk.

The drunken gang mainly targeted servicemen, whose boots they are not fit to lick, but one victim who lives in Thirsk has been so traumatised by the teenagers, branded by the judge as “a pack of feral animals”, that he dare not go into town.

The judge decided to make an example of all four and even lifted an order banning the media from identifying one of the youths, Richard Clark, aged 17, who was given a 12-month sentence.

He did so after telling the court: “I take the view that this sort of violence should be reported and see no reason why a 17-year old should not be named.” Nor do we.

However, North Yorkshire Police has taken a different view and it’s one we find hard to understand. They have released three of the convicted teenagers’ pictures, but not Clark; citing the minimum tariff to do so is three years. But two of the gang were sent down for 24 months, so there is already an inconsistency here.

Many would have wished for longer sentences, but Clark has only a 12-month sentence, and our concern is that he has since moved to Selby and the public should know what he looks like.

If the judge is happy to reveal Clark’s identity, why do the police feel it should be protected?

Our courts are often criticised, but here is a case of a judge trying to fully inform the public, yet the police have decided otherwise.

They are wrong and must think again.