‘The look on his face was one of pure horror’
Lee Phillips(Image: Derbyshire Police)
Robbers attacked a man in the toilets of a bar in Long Eaton, headbutting him, strangling him almost unconscious and threatening to stab him before ripping jewellery off from around his neck and wrist.
In what a judge described as “truly obnoxious thuggery” the victim was held in a choke hold until the look on his face “was one of true horror” at the hands of Lee Phillips and Calvin Peddie.
The duo and at least one other man followed the victim, took some of his cocaine from him and then prevented him from leaving the scene of the savage attack
Now both of them have received significant custodial sentences for their criminal assault.
Jailing each of the men for five years, Judge Michael Auty KC said: “This was truly obnoxious thuggery.
“On the night in question the victim had been out with friends first visiting the White Lion public house and then went on to Chalkies Bar, both in Long Eaton, where, it seems, he was something of a regular.
“He went into the gentleman’s lavatories to take cocaine and then you went in.
“He was prepared to surrender some of his cocaine to you but he was not prepared to surrender his jewellery.
Calvin Peddie(Image: Derbyshire Police)
“What followed after was a vicious and brutal assault which involved two really significant head butts.
“The first one plainly knocked him almost unconscious but certainly to the stage where he lost control of his faculties and then the second headbutt was entirely gratuitous.
“You had an arm around his throat for some time and the look on his face, on the CCTV I saw was one of pure horror.
“He was surrounded and prevented from escaping out of the toilet and there was then the threat of a weapon being produced.
“He was a slight man and was therefore no match for you and there was no need for any violence to be used at all.”
Lauren Fisher, prosecuting, said on the night in question the two defendants and a third man who has never been identified followed the victim into the toilet at Chalkies.
She said Phillips delivered the first headbutt and the victim was then held down by the others and had neck chains and bracelets ripped from him before one of the group said they would stab him.
In a victim impact statement, the man told how he used to enjoy drinking at the bar but since the incident has stopped going out socialising.
In the statement he said: “When I was grabbed in the toilet, I thought ‘God what is happening?’ and I had no chance to defend myself.
“One of them threatened to stab me after I was choked by the neck.
“The jewellery that was stolen from me cost me £1,900 and one of the bracelets was a present from my mother for my 16th birthday and so holds sentimental value to me.”
Phillips, 32, of Barker Avenue North, Sandiacre, pleaded guilty to robbery and has two previous convictions for two offences.
Roger Wilson, his barrister, said since being remanded into custody his client has saved the life of a fellow prisoner who was intent on taking his own life.
He said: “Regarding the offence, he says it was not planned.
“There was communication, an exchange of words and what he did afterwards was inexcusable and awful.”
Peddie, a 34-year-old father of two, of Sean Upton Close, Chilwell, took the case to trial, where he was found guilty of robbery.
He has 15 previous convictions including robbery, ABH, criminal damage and witness intimidation.
Des Jenson, mitigating, said: “He has made good use of his time in custody and there is a letter from his partner in which she describes him as a good partner and father.”
As well as the jail terms, both men were handed five-year restraining orders not to contact the victim.
