Feuding former friends’ fracas ends in broken jaw

Two former friends feuding over a girlfriend traded punches during a “protracted fight” in a Spalding street.

Michael David Severn started the early-hours fracas but came off worst, later needing metal plates fitted to a broken jaw.

He fought with Tristan Jack Mansfield in New Road, first at the junction with Red Lion Street before the scrapping moved over the road to near The Black Swan pub by which time both men had removed their shirts.

Severn and Mansfield (both 20) stood side by side at Boston Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday as the hearing was told that both defendants were out with other people on June 8 last year. They had exchanged words in The Punchbowl pub.

Prosecutor Shelley Wilson said much of the later fight was caught on CCTV.
“Mr Severn appeared to initially be the aggressor, but towards the end Mr Mansfield became very aggressive. Quite a protracted fight occurred in the street between the parties.

“Mr Severn has apparently, without provocation, approached Mr Mansfield, punching him once. Mr Mansfield retaliated.”

A nearby doorman intervened to keep the pair apart and Severn’s girlfriend tried to restrain him.

Miss Wilson added: “Both were acting in a threatening manner in front of members of the public.

Both separated and came back together on several occasions.”
Severn, of Dean Close, Weston, and Mansfield, of Delgate Bank, Weston Hills, each pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour.

Dav Naghen, mitigating for Severn, said it was an “unpalatable incident” and there had already been some form of “summary justice” for his client who suffered a broken jaw and some of his lower teeth are not straight.

“He accepts there were opportunities to pull away and several times his father and girlfriend tried to pull him away but he broke free,” added Mr Naghen.

Mansfield, who was not represented in court, said: “It was one thing on one night and all went too far.”

Sentencing both men to a 12-month community order with 60 hours’ unpaid work, District Judge Peter Veits told them: “For anybody else watching this it could have been a very unpleasant experience. You were both drunk, both having a go at each other and you both could have walked
away.”

Severn and Mansfield were each ordered to pay £90 victim surcharge and £85 costs.