TWO men have been convicted of carrying out a brutal attack on another man in St Helier town centre – leaving him with injuries similar to those seen in a car crash.
Following a three-day trial in the Royal Court, Mark Christopher James Goodchild (36) and 29-year-old Addison Thomas Mazurke were unanimously found guilty of grave and criminal assault, and theft for stealing their victim’s shoes.
It took the jury of eight women and four men two hours to reach verdicts on all charges.
Goodchild and Mazurke attacked the man after a night out last year, chasing him along Bath Street and into King Street, pushing him to the ground repeatedly as he tried to get away, kicking and punching him and then filming him on a mobile phone as he lay on the ground – before removing his trainers.
A forensic medical examiner who saw the victim later said the fractures to his collarbone were similar to those that would be seen in the victim of a car crash.
He also suffered bruises and swelling to his head and body, cuts and grazes to his elbows, shoulder blade and back, and required required stitches inside his ear.
Mazurke had pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of common assault but Goodchild denied he had been involved.
After the verdicts were announced, the court was told that Goodchild had 59 previous convictions for crimes including violence, damage to property, theft and public order and drugs offences. Mazurke has five previous convictions, including for public order offences.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Caroline Foord said: “Mazurke and Goodchild found an opportunity to single out an unknown person for no reason and viciously attack him.
“This was a particularly nasty and sustained attack and these individuals have not shown any remorse for their actions. The victim has been very courageous to report this matter and we thank him for this.”
She added: “Such violent and hostile behaviour cannot be tolerated and we will do everything in our power to see offenders such as these being brought to justice.”
They were remanded in custody and are due to be sentenced in the Royal Court on 12 January.
