THE TIMES ONLINE
April 20, 2010
Girls accused of killing gay man in attack like Clockwork Orange
Adam Fresco, Crime Correspondent
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Two drunken teenage girls kicked a man so badly as he lay unconscious during
their homophobic attack that he later died, a court heard.
Ruby Thomas and Rachel Burke, both 18, stamped on Ian Baynham’s chest and
kicked him in the head after their friend Joel Alexander, 19, had punched him
to the ground, knocking him unconscious, the Old Bailey was told.
As Mr Baynham lay bleeding the teenagers continued to assault him, it was said,
causing him to suffer a fit from brain damage after his skull had been
fractured.
When Mr Baynham’s friend stepped in to try to save him, Ms Burke attacked him
too, punching him in the face, the jury was told.
The three alleged killers fled from the scene and Mr Baynham was taken to
hospital in East London, but he never regained consciousness and died 18 days
after the attack in September last year.
Brian Altman, QC, for the prosecution, told jurors that Mr Baynham and Philip
Brown were walking through Trafalgar Square, in Central London, “minding their
own business”.
He said: “The scene is Trafalgar Square at the very heart of London, one of
this city’s most famous open spaces, home to the National Gallery, Nelson’s
Column, the famous plinths and late that evening, a scene of despicable
violence.
“One onlooker likened the level of violence to a scene from the film A
Clockwork Orange. What happened was an all too familiar and depressing tale of
drunken, loutish behaviour. But what they did went far beyond mere antisocial
conduct.
“Remarkably, two of these defendants are teenage girls. Fuelled by copious
amounts of alcohol, all three jointly participated in a violent attack on a
defenceless man in public.”
Mr Altman continued: “Mr Baynham was openly homosexual and what led to his
death began with Thomas hurling homophobic abuse at him and his friend Mr
Brown. She called them ‘f***ing faggots’. Mr Baynham grabbed and slapped her.
“Alexander intervened and lunged at him, punching him in the face. He fell to
the ground. It is certain that the force of the punch was such as to render him
unconscious. His head hit the pavement and there was nothing to break his fall.
The impact was so heavy that he suffered severe brain damage from which
ultimately he was to die.
“However, that did not suffice. There’s evidence that the females then began
putting the boot into Mr Baynham as he lay unconscious on his back. He was
deeply in distress from the blow. Shocked onlookers saw repeated stamping on
his chest and forceful kicks to the head. He began making snoring noises,
evidence of unconsciousness, and fitting on the pavement, signs of primary
brain damage.”
Mr Alexander, from Thornton Heath, Surrey, Ms Burke, from East Sussex, and Ms
Thomas, from Litchfield, Staffordshire, all deny manslaughter and violent
disorder. Ms Burke also denies causing Mr Brown actual bodily harm.
The trial continues.
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