Two men found guilty of GBH following serious attack in Ripon

Gavin Hewson, 45, and Charles Neate, 55, went to the apartment block apparently looking for another man but ended up attacking his neighbour, York Crown Court heard.

The named victim had been watching TV with his partner when they heard someone shouting the name of their neighbour who lived in the opposite flat, said prosecutor Nicola Hoskins.

When the victim went outside to see what was happening, he was attacked by the two men, resulting in a fractured eye socket, swollen eyes and a suspected broken nose.

He returned to the flat dripping in blood, said Ms Hoskins.

His partner called police as other people outside flagged down a passing police car and alerted officers to the attack.

Two officers followed a “trail of blood” from the apartment block’s communal door to the victim’s flat and took statements.

He was advised to go to Harrogate District Hospital where he was kept in overnight due to the extent of his injuries.

Hewson and Neate were duly arrested but vehemently denied attacking the victim.

Neate, of Maple Walk, Ripon, said he had been at home at the time of the attack and Hewson, from Leeds, said he had not even been in the town that day.

They were charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm, but both denied the allegation.

They appeared for trial last week and were found guilty as charged yesterday (November 2) following a long deliberation by the jury.

Ms Hoskins said the incident occurred at about 9pm on August 2, 2020, when Mr Shepperd heard “male voices” shouting the name of his neighbour outside his flat.

“He heard other neighbours shout, ‘Be quiet, we’ve got kids’,” added Ms Hoskins.

“(The victim) decided to go downstairs to tell them to go away.

"He could see (the face of one of the attackers) through the communal glass door and thought he might recognise this face from a local pub.

“He went outside (and) he was attacked by two males and, in the process, he sustained serious injuries to his face.”

The victim’s partner heard the commotion and called police, at which point he came back into the flat “covered in blood”.

“She looked out of the window and saw people outside flagging down a passing police car,” added Ms Hoskins.

Two officers came to their flat and told the victim to seek medical attention.

He was treated for a broken eye socket, “potential” broken nose and lumps to the side of his face.

Hewson told police he hadn’t seen the victim or his neighbour “for some time” and didn’t know anyone at the apartment block.

Neate, of Aysgarth Walk, Richmond Hill, said he had not been in Ripon that night and had been watching a football match on TV at a pub in Harrogate, then got a taxi back to his home in Leeds. He claimed he hadn’t seen Hewson “in years”.

The prosecution said there was “compelling evidence” that both men were at the scene and carried out the dreadful attack, the motive for which was unclear.

Hewson and Neate will be sentenced on December 6.