Trio accused of Beccles attempted murder after pub brawl

On the opening day of the trial, it was heard that after one of the accused, Nathan Baker, was punched in the face outside the Wetherspoons pub, The Kings Head Hotel, he and two others got in a car and ambushed a man who had been at the pub.

Lewis Aldridge, 27, Nathan Baker, 19, and Daniel Hermon, 26 have all been charged with attempted murder (Image: Newsquest)

Baker, 19, had been drinking at the pub with Daniel Hermon, 26, and got into a fight just outside the pub.

The alleged victim, Julian Johnson, 53, was there with his son and another woman.

The court heard Mr Johnson was only acting as a “peacemaker” during the fight.

Baker, of Quay Street, Halesworth, got a cut to his eye and he left the scene in his car with Hermon, of Market Place, Southwold at 2am on 18 November last year.

The court heard Hermon then messaged his friend, Lewis Aldridge, 27, who was at his home in Market Place, Southwold and told him Baker’s eye had been bloodied and that they would come to pick him up and said to bring a knife.

CCTV shows they drove back to the pub but all those involved in the fight had left.

Mr Johnson was walking home alone.

Baker then drove off with the other two and found Johnson walking down London Road on the phone to his girlfriend.

They then got out and beat him and then ran over him, possibly twice and drove off, prosecutor Edward Renvoize said.

He was left with fractures to his pelvis, ribs and vertebrae and could not move when he was found by police at 3am.

All three are charged with attempted murder and grievous bodily harm and all three deny the charges.

The court heard that Baker told police a friend of his named Benny had assaulted Mr Johnson and said he had not run him over.

Hermon said Baker had run over Mr Johnson but he had tried to stop it by grabbing the wheel, Mr Renvoize said.

Aldridge gave no comment when interviewed.

The trial continues.