CARLISLE, England – Two brothers, Kenneth Brown, 27, and Shaun Brown, 24, were involved in a violent attack on a young man in the city center of Carlisle. Despite the severity of the incident captured on CCTV, the brothers were spared immediate prison sentences due to the lack of space in prisons.
The violent altercation took place on Lowther Street in October 2022, where the brothers, accompanied by their father, were attending a reunion for Kings Own Royal Border Regiment veterans. Reports mentioned that the brothers were argumentative and aggressive, leading to a confrontation with a stranger in the street.
The victim, a Manchester United fan, was subjected to punches, kicks, and stamps by the Brown brothers, resulting in severe injuries including a broken nose, hand fracture, bruising, and black eyes. The victim expressed concerns about his career as a plasterer, fearing that it might be over due to the injuries sustained.
Following a public appeal for information, the brothers were identified and later admitted to the charge of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent. Despite the brutal nature of the attack, the judge noted that the brothers had no previous convictions and deemed the incident as an aberration.
Judge Julian Shaw decided to suspend the two-year prison sentences for both brothers, citing their genuine remorse and the overcrowding in the prison system. Instead, the brothers were given extensive rehabilitation requirements, 300 hours of unpaid work, night-time curfews, alcohol monitoring, and were ordered to pay £1,200 in compensation to the victim.
The judge emphasized the seriousness of the offense, calling it a cowardly and sustained attack on a defenseless individual. While acknowledging the remorse shown by the brothers, the judge emphasized the need for accountability and rehabilitation to prevent such incidents in the future.