Attacker jailed as judge praises pub customers' bravery after vicious assault (Plymouth, UK): A judge has commended two customers injured while trying to save a pub manager from a vicious beating. Recorder Paul Derbyshire said Connor Price could have suffered more serious injuries and Peter Newnham could have faced more serious charges but for the brave intervention of Gary Tucker, a window cleaner and Richard Foot. He said: "Too often people walk away; they are to be commended." Prosecutor Alastair Verheijen told Plymouth Crown Court that Peter Newnham had already been asked to leave the Mutley Crown pub on March 11. When he came in again, Mr Price asked him to leave, and sensing trouble moved to the glass-washing area to radio the police as Newnham shouted: "Why?" But Newnham, 38, followed and attacked him, raining down punches, kicking him on the ground and hitting him with a glass. Mr Foot intervened, dragging Newnham away and grappling with him.
As Newnham left, Mr Tucker tried to restrain him but was put to the ground and then kicked so hard that his arm was broken. Newnham went on the run, but handed himself in to police a month later, being picked out at an ID parade by barmaid Aelwyn Cowan. Mr Verheijen said Mr Price escaped with bruising and Mr Foot was bruised to the head, shoulder, chest and hand. But as well as suffering a scalp wound, Mr Tucker had to have an operation to pin his broken arm, which did not heal properly. He then faced further surgery, was unable to work more than two days a week as a self-employed window-cleaner and suffered financial hardship. He told police: "My life has been turned upside-down because of someone who couldn't control their temper."
Newnham, who had previous convictions for offences including assault causing actual bodily harm, affray and assaulting police, pleaded guilty to three counts: wounding Mr Price with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Tucker & assaulting Mr Foot by beating. Newnham's barrister, Jason Beal, said: "He had too much to drink and lost his temper and behaved in an utterly disgraceful way." He said Newnham, whose address was given by the court as Cumbrian Way, Southampton, had packed his belongings into an old caravan some eight years ago and moved to Plymouth, where he had found work. He was saving up to send his daughter to university, having not supported her in other ways. He could not explain his behaviour on that night.
Recorder Derbyshire told Newnham: "Pub managers are there to provide a useful service to the people of Plymouth, not to be beaten up by you. "If people hadn't intervened, I think you would have been facing even more serious charges today. "I would like to make it clear that this court is very grateful to Mr Tucker and Mr Foot for going to the aid of Mr Price." He sentenced Newnham to 40 months in jail.
Suspect in July stabbing death in Liberty Hill found in California, officials say: A 20-year-old man suspected in the July stabbing death of a Liberty Hill man has been caught in California after a month long search by law enforcement officials, the Williamson County sheriff's office said Friday. The search for Zachary Price (pictured) ended shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday in California, where he was apprehended by California Highway Patrol near a music festival, sheriff's officials said. He will be extradited to Texas in the coming days. On July 3, 51-year-old Richard Meyers was stabbed to death at his home in the 300 block of Spring Grove Drive, west of U.S. 183, after a dispute with Price "over the death of a cat," officials have said. Meyers lived at the home with two sons he had with Lisa Price, the suspect's mother. Zachary Price lived with the family, sheriff's officials have said.
Deputies who were called to the home last month discovered Meyers lying on the kitchen floor, according to an arrest warrant. Meyers was stabbed at least four times in the upper torso, according to an arrest affidavit issued last week. Lisa Price and her two sons told a deputy that Zachary Price had stabbed Meyers, the affidavit said. Price "became angry and was arguing with his mother because of a deceased cat," the affidavit said. Price struck a wall inside the house and then argued with Meyers in the kitchen, the affidavit said. Price then grabbed a large kitchen knife and stabbed Meyers several times, the affidavit said. Meyers yelled that he had been stabbed and asked for someone to call 911, the affidavit said. One of Meyers' sons asked Price why he stabbed his father. "He deserved it," Price said, according to the affidavit. Price then grabbed his computer and fled from the home, according to the affidavit.
On Thursday, Price was taken into custody without incident after his vehicle was located in Laytonville, Calif., near the site of a music festival in northern Mendocino County, sheriff's officials said Friday. "Details of Price's arrest will be guarded at this time to protect the integrity of the case against him," the sheriff's office said in a statement. Meyers, who owned a window cleaning business called Squeegee's Windows, was described by family and friends as an active church volunteer who served food to the homeless in downtown Austin.
Suspect in Liberty Hill homicide located in California, sheriff’s official says: A 20-year-old man suspected in the July death of a Liberty Hill man has been apprehended in California, the Williamson County sheriff’s office said today. The national search for Zachary Ryan Price ended shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday in California, where he was apprehended by California Highway Patrol, sheriff’s officials said. On July 3, after a dispute with Price at his home “over the death of a cat,” 51-year-old Richard Meyers was stabbed to death at his home in the 300 block of Spring Grove Drive, west of U.S. 183, a sheriff’s official said. Meyers had two sons with Price’s mother, and the suspect lived with the family of four, Sgt. John Foster of the sheriff’s office said last month.
Price’s vehicle was located in Laytonville, Calif., near the site of a music festival in Northern Mendocino County. “Details of Price’s arrest will be guarded at this time to protect the integrity of the case against him,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement today. “He was taken into custody without incident and will be extradited back to Williamson County in the coming days.”
Meyers, who owned a window cleaning business called Squeegee’s Windows, was described by family and friends as an active church volunteer who served food to the homeless in downtown Austin. They said he would assist them when they moved, baby-sat and had been organizing a blood drive this summer. Sheriff’s officials said Price is believed to have stabbed Meyers after they argued over a pet’s death, Foster has said. The mother and two younger sons were at home at the time of the incident. Friends said the boys are in middle school and high school. Meyers also had an adult son in San Antonio, a friend said.
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