“Mackems Behaving Badly on Tour” Four Sunderland Party Louts Caused Chaos in York
Four Sunderland partiers were sentenced at York this week for causing a “mass brawl” in York City Centre back in 2019, including against each other, described as amongst the worst ever seen in the relatively affluent Cathedral city.
Joshua Brownless, 29, Anthony Cockerill, 26, Dean Taggart, 29, and Demi Walker, 22, partying down in the historic city from Wearside, created a mass brawl in the middle of Rougier Street, terrifying the public.
This included “rolling around on the floor” on a busy road where traffic came to a standstill.
On trial in the City’s Crown Court, prosecutors displayed CCTV showing people being punched, kicked and thrown to the ground in various skirmishes outside Pop World which continued even after police arrived.
Police were called to deal with a “mass disturbance”, with extra units having to be called in due to the sheer number of people involved in the fracas.
Another officer quoted that in his five years’ service, he had “never seen so much disorder at 9pm in the city centre”.
Brownless, of Tollerton Drive, Castletown, Taggart, of Monument View, Houghton, and Cockerill, of Foxley, Washington, admitted affray at the first opportunity.
Walker, of Welburn Road, Washington, initially denied the offence but ultimately pleaded guilty.
They appeared for sentence at York Crown, sitting at Bradford Crown Court, on Tuesday.
The Judge said they had since become “different people” but ultimately they had to be punished for their “disgraceful” behaviour.
Brownless, Cockerill and Taggart were each given 12-month suspended prison terms with 100 hours’ unpaid work.
Walker was given a 15-month jail term because she had not pleaded guilty straight away, but this was also suspended for 18 months. She too was made to carry out 100 hours’ unpaid work.
