THREE bouncers were handed suspended prison terms after attacking rugby legend Shane Williams and his brother.
Dave Wing, 53, Dean Flowers, 32, and Aled James, 26, were found guilty of affray following a trial last month.
Another bouncer, Haydn Morgan, 42, was found not guilty of affray during the trial.
Williams, 41, grew up in Glanamman, and in a decorated career won 87 caps for Wales, becoming the country’s record try scorer and being named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2008. Cardiff Crown Court heard how on December 2 2017, Shane Williams and his brother Dean, 37, had been drinking at the Coyote Ugly nightclub on St Mary Street, after the Wales v South Africa match at the Principality Stadium.
Fans had been asking for selfies when a stranger tried to headbutt Dean Williams, and security staff then threw the brothers and their friends Rhodri Williams and Stewart Herbert out of the club following a row. The three bouncers then proceeded to attack the group in a back alley, with CCTV footage showing the doormen repeatedly punching and kicking them.
James, of Ferndale, Rhondda, was the first member of staff to deal with the incident, before Flowers, of Thornhill, Cardiff, then approached. CCTV footage showed that the group refused to walk away.
Flowers pushed Shane Williams down the stairs, and James was the first bouncer to follow the group out. Prosecutor Nicholas Gareth Jones said how James repeatedly punched Dean Williams, before Wing, of Grangetown, Cardiff. He proceeded to put Dean Williams in a headlock, choking him until he fell unconscious. Flowers then repeatedly punched Shane Williams against the wall.
Rhodri Williams had filmed the end of the incident on his mobile phone. After the incident, Flowers was seen flexing his hand, before joking with colleagues back in the club.
Police officers were flagged down at about 10pm, and found Dean Williams unconscious at the rear entrance of the premises. A medical student had performed first aid on Dean Williams, who had abrasion to the right side of his head and swelling to the left side of his head. Police seized CCTV from local venues as Dean Williams was taken to hospital, where he was kept overnight.
The prosecutor said that initially all the defendants pleaded not guilty. James then pleaded guilty on November 9 on a basis of plea where he accepted his actions were above reasonable self-defence, whilst there was a trial for Flowers and Wing.
In police interviews, James made no comment, Wing submitted a prepared statement, whilst Flowers gave a mixed interview, answering “no comment” to some instances yet referring to his incident report in others.
The court heard how all three defendants were of previous good character. All three had lost their jobs, but James was working as a teacher in London, whilst Flowers and Wing were both actively seeking employment.
Andrew Taylor, mitigating on behalf of James, stressed that his client has been making a positive contribution to society since the incident, where he suffered a scar himself having been punched in the club. Kevin Seal, mitigating for Flowers, explained that his client has a son and also acts as a carer for his mother.
He is currently looking for work as a mechanic. Heath Edwards, mitigating on behalf of Wing, said that the defendant has two job offers, but that since the incident he has been diagnosed with depression and that his marriage has collapsed. Wing also has two young children and is a carer for his elderly father.
Recorder Duncan Bould stressed the callous nature of the doormen leaving Dean Williams unconscious in the street, and that it was fortunate that no one was seriously injured. He then conceded that there would be profound effects on each man if they went to prison, and so all three were given suspended sentences.
Flowers were both handed 16-month suspended sentences and must do 180 hours of unpaid work. James, who pleaded guilty to affray at an earlier hearing, was handed a 10-month suspended sentence and 120 hours of unpaid work.
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