Suspended Sentence

A MAN who took part in a vicious assault that left a man with a badly injured face has been handed a suspended sentence.

Benjamin Gillbee, 30, of Southend, forcibly entered the home of his victim in St Claire Meadow, Rochford, with another unknown assailant and began attacking him repeatedly on June 20 last year.

Gillbee, of South Avenue, and his accomplice punched the victim in both the face and the head before one of the attackers grabbed a metal pole resting against a doorframe and continued the assault.

Both attackers then fled the scene and an anonymous call was made to police just after midnight.

Officers arrived at the Rochford property at 1.15am where the victim named Gillbee, but could not identify the second attacker.

When officers conducted a search, they found Gillbee hiding in a bin one minute away from the victim’s address.

The victim suffered severe injuries including swelling and bruising to the face and eyes, cuts and bruising and redness to the stomach.

Gillbee was charged with actual bodily harm and admitted the offence in March, before being sentetnced at Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday, June 27.

The court heard how the victim and Gilbee were known to each other, and that there was reportedly “unpleasantness in both directions.”

Recorder Simon Hughes added: “However, your actions were still unjustified as you broke into the victim’s home as a group and assaulted him.”

Defending, Nick Bonehill said: “Mr Gillbee explains things came to a head when a comment was made to him about his four-year-old daughter, which is when he ‘saw red.’

“He is the first to run away from a fight as opposed to getting involved, but made an exception on this occasion.”

Mr Hughes, who said there was “a realistic prospect of rehabilitation,” handed Gillbee an eight-month sentence suspended for two years.

For the next 24 months, Gillbee is subject to a rehabilitation programme for 30 days and 200 hours of unpaid work.

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