Man jailed over unprovoked Stamford attack

A groundworker who fractured a university student’s jaw and broke four of his teeth during an unprovoked attack in Stamford town centre was today (Tuesday) jailed for 24 months.

Mcauley Miller, 21, punched his 20-year-old victim twice from behind in a ten minute spell of violence during the early hours of April 3.

Lincoln Crown Court heard both men had been in separate groups drinking at Willoughby’s nightclub.

Adam Pearson, prosecuting, said the victim left Willoughby’s at 3am with a group of old school friends and walked towards Broad Street where a young woman had collapsed and was being surrounded by a group of people.

Mr Pearson told the court Miller’s victim made an innocent remark that “people crowding around wasn’t awfully helpful.”

The court heard one of Miller’s friends took offence at the remark and became involved in a verbal argument with the student.

Following the exchange Miller punched the student to the left side of the back of his head, Mr Pearson said.

“He immediately felt pain and a tooth on the opposite side of his mouth was cracked.”

The court heard Miller’s victim moved towards Red Lion Square with his friends but was again punched from behind just ten minutes later.

On this occasion Miller continued the attack, grabbing his victim in a bear hug, and then punching and kicking him on the ground.

Mr Pearson said the man’s friends tried to get him away, and Miller pursued them in a boxing stance throwing one last punch.

“He (the victim) was covered in blood, had a swollen jaw and was in pain.”

The victim returned home and went to bed because he did not want to wake his mother who is a hospital doctor.

“She took one look at her son and thought he had a fractured jaw,” Mr Pearson added.

The man’s injuries required surgery to insert a plate in his fractured jaw and to remove a broken wisdom tooth. He had three other broken teeth.

Miller, of Hilll View Gardens, Morton, near Bourne, made no comment when he was arrested and interviewed, but later admitted a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

The court heard Miller carried out the offence while in breach of a ten month suspended prison sentence for aggravated vehicle taking.

He also had previous convictions for three offences of battery while a youth and was given a community order in January 2021 when he punched another man from behind after he kissed his girlfriend.

Sunil Khanna, mitigating, said Miller had described himself as “10/10 drunk” on the night of the assault and had now addressed his problems with alcohol.

Mr Khanna told the court Miller had little recollection of the events, but must have known the girl on the floor to react in the way he did.

The court heard Miller was employed as a groundworker fitting swimming pools, but had decided to give up work and spend as much time as possible with his family before he was sentenced.

Passing sentence Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight told Miller his victim had done absolutely nothing wrong, and she had to pass a custodial sentence because of his previous convictions and the breach of his suspended sentence.

“This was a persistent attack on a man who was not fighting back,” Judge Sjolin Knight said.

Miller was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment and has already served 77 qualifying days on a home curfew.