Two men who subjected a stranger to a brutal and sustained assault in Arnold town centre decided to hand themselves in after photographs were shared of them on the internet.
Jonathan Cropley and David Fryer repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on their victim as he lay defenceless on the ground – leaving him with a broken nose and heavy bruising to his face.
Shocking CCTV footage of the incident, which took place in Front Street, Arnold, at around midnight on 16 April 2023, showed the victim using a cash machine before being approached by his attackers.
Atter a brief conversation the man, aged in his 30s, was punched to the ground by Fryer before being repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped upon by Cropley.
The two men, who had both been drinking before the assault, then casually walked away from the scene, leaving their victim unconscious on the ground.
Police were called after the man had been taken to hospital for treatment.
Detectives reviewed footage from several CCTV cameras and soon found footage of the attack recorded by a distant CCTV camera.
They were then able to trace both suspects back to a local bar where their faces could clearly be seen.
A public appeal was then issued on Nottinghamshire Police’s website and social media channels, which led to both men handing themselves in.
Each made no comment to officers during their interviews and a motive for the attack was never established.
Cropley, aged 44, of Wordsworth Road, Daybrook, and Fryer, aged 59, of High Street, Arnold, both pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday (23 April) they both expressed remorse for what they had done, with Fryer’s defence counsel suggesting that the two recent bereavements had played a part in his client’s behaviour.
They were both given 20-month prison sentences suspended for a period of two years, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
PC Emma White, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This was an appalling and sustained attack on a man who was simply enjoying a night out in his local community at the time.
“Fryer and Cropley subjected him to a vicious and prolonged assault – most of which took place with their victim slumped defenceless on the floor.
“As they now face justice for what they did that night they should also count themselves lucky that their victim wasn’t more seriously injured and their punishment more severe as a result.
“As this case shows, we are able to make good use of local CCTV networks in cases like this to track, identity and bring offenders to justice.”
