Pair sentenced for Newton Abbot attack

Two men have been jailed for a sustained and unprovoked attack on a complete stranger.

Kai Webb, 27, from Barnpark Road in Teignmouth, and Lewis Botfield, 26, of Exeter Road, Kingsteignton, were sentenced at Exeter Crown Court after both pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. 

Webb was also sentenced for possession of a bladed article and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, the assault occasioning actual bodily harm charge relating to a separate incident.

Webb was jailed for 43 months and Botfield 15 months by Judge Stephen Climie. 

On the night in question in July 2021, the victim was in the Golden Lion pub in Newton Abbot on a work leaving party.

Webb and Botfield were also out, and had been causing trouble. They had been refused entry to a number of premises and involved in anti-social behaviour around the town.

At around 11.10pm Webb and Botfield walked past the Golden Lion and for no reason became abusive to the victim’s group. 

Words were exchanged and Webb was heard to threaten to stab someone. When Webb reached for his man bag a member of the group grabbed the bag and handed it to door staff, fearing a knife was inside.

Both Webb and Botfield and members of the victim’s group ended up in the alley to the side of the pub, but when the victim, the last one of his group left in the alley, turned away from the defendants he was hit with a sucker punch by Botfield.

Both defendants then punched, kicked and stamped on the complainant as he lay defenceless on the floor. The attack only stopped when friends realised what was happening and rushed to intervene.

Botfield and Webb were identified and arrested and on arrest Webb was found in possession of a knife.

The victim suffered multiple fractures to his cheekbones, nose and eye sockets, which required hospital treatment and four weeks off work. His vision has also been permanently affected, as has the appearance of his face.

The ABH relating to Webb took place in May 2022 when he entered a pub in Sidmouth and following a disagreement about sexualised comments made by Webb, he became aggressive towards two males.

As he swung a pool cue towards them he struck a woman to the head causing her to fall to the floor.

Neighbourhood Beat Manager for South Devon Robbie Mangham said: “The attack carried out by Webb and Botfield that night was brutal, sustained and unprovoked.

“Although the victim suffered serious injuries, such an attack could have resulted in death and a life sentence for the defendants.

“They continued to land blows on him while he was entirely defenceless on the ground.

“The sentence shows that we will not tolerate such acts of brutality within our community and any such incidents will be investigated thoroughly.”