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Captured on camera: The sickening high five celebrations of thugs who stamped on train passenger's face after he dared to ask them to be quiet
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:18 PM on 16th October 2010
Three young professionals who attacked a man on a train in a 'shocking' drunken assault before celebrating with high-fives were spared jail yesterday.
A court heard how Frederick Doe, 25, Michael Tebbutt, 24 and Samantha Vander, 25, subjected their fellow passenger to a 'volley of punches and kicks' and repeatedly stamped on his head after he asked them to keep the noise down.
Captured on CCTV, the trio were then seen laughing and celebrating - apparently revelling in the violence.
Assault: Samantha Vander was caught on CCTV stamping on the man's head during the assault, with Michael Tebbutt (left) and Frederick Doe (right) also involved
On Friday, each defendant was handed a four-month suspended sentence and 300 hours' community service by St Albans Crown Court, in Hertfordshire.
It comes a day after the Daily Mail revealed thousands of career criminals are being spared jail despite having amassed at least 50 convictions.
Almost 2,700 were handed a community sentence after being found guilty more than 50 times before.
Incredibly, 315 offenders even received a non-custodial punishment after 100 or more previous offences.
The figures, seen by the Mail, also show more than 13,000 on at least their 30th offence received a community penalty – widely derided as ‘soft’ by critics.
It means offenders who are convicted of 30 or more crimes are 1,000 times more likely to be given a community sentence or a fine than end up in prison.
The court was told how Doe, Tebbutt and Vander pounced on the 38-year-old man following an alcohol-fuelled evening in London.
Detective Sergeant Karina Ghersinich, of British Transport Police, said: 'Doe and Tebbutt floored the man and then assaulted him with a volley of punches and kicks.
'Vander joined in and brutally stamped on the victim's head and body using the stiletto heels she was wearing - laughing as she did so.'
Sick celebration: The group then high-fived each other after attacking a passenger who asked them to be quiet
The assault continued for several minutes before another passenger came to the victim's aid and separated the group.
He was then helped off the train by passengers at Ware station, before being transferred to hospital for treatment.
He suffered injuries to his face and hands, bruising to his body and swelling to the back of his neck.
Doe, an estate agent, Tebbutt, a financial officer, and Vander, a personal assistant, remained on the train and were caught on camera laughing and congratulating each other.
Detective Sergeant Ghersinich added: 'The level of violence that these people directed towards their victim was shocking.
'The fact that they celebrated what they had done makes their crime even more sickening.'
The court heard how earlier that evening the trio, from Hertfordshire, had been kicked out of a pub for their unruly behaviour.
They caught a train from Liverpool Street towards Hertford East station and continued to act in a loud and disorderly manner.
But when their fellow traveller objected to foul and abusive language, they responded by dragging him in a headlock from his seat into the vestibule area.
CCTV footage shows other people on the train moving away as the man struggled beneath them on the floor.
Michael Tebbutt, Samantha Vander and Frederick Doe (left to right) were each handed a four-month suspended sentence and 300 hours' community service
Just a few days after the attack, on April 14, they handed themselves in for questioning. All three admitted involvement.
An examination of Doe's phone revealed a text message stating that his hands were bruised and sore.
In another text, he was informed about a news report relating to the incident. It read: 'There is an article on the internet... it looks quite bad.'
In a police interview Vander, who stamped on the victim more than 10 times, admitted 'things got out of hand' and that her 'adrenalin was pumping'.
Doe, from Ware, Tebbutt, from Stanstead Abbotts and Vander, from Hertford, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
British Transport Police Superintendent Paul Brogden said: 'This is an example of anti-social behaviour at its very worst.
'Drunken, thuggish behaviour like this will not be tolerated on the rail network and we will continue to put offenders who think otherwise before the courts.'
Besides the jail sentences - suspended for 12 months - the group were ordered to pay combined costs of £660 and £300 in compensation to the victim.
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:18 PM on 16th October 2010
Three young professionals who attacked a man on a train in a 'shocking' drunken assault before celebrating with high-fives were spared jail yesterday.
A court heard how Frederick Doe, 25, Michael Tebbutt, 24 and Samantha Vander, 25, subjected their fellow passenger to a 'volley of punches and kicks' and repeatedly stamped on his head after he asked them to keep the noise down.
Captured on CCTV, the trio were then seen laughing and celebrating - apparently revelling in the violence.
Assault: Samantha Vander was caught on CCTV stamping on the man's head during the assault, with Michael Tebbutt (left) and Frederick Doe (right) also involved
On Friday, each defendant was handed a four-month suspended sentence and 300 hours' community service by St Albans Crown Court, in Hertfordshire.
It comes a day after the Daily Mail revealed thousands of career criminals are being spared jail despite having amassed at least 50 convictions.
Almost 2,700 were handed a community sentence after being found guilty more than 50 times before.
Incredibly, 315 offenders even received a non-custodial punishment after 100 or more previous offences.
The figures, seen by the Mail, also show more than 13,000 on at least their 30th offence received a community penalty – widely derided as ‘soft’ by critics.
It means offenders who are convicted of 30 or more crimes are 1,000 times more likely to be given a community sentence or a fine than end up in prison.
The court was told how Doe, Tebbutt and Vander pounced on the 38-year-old man following an alcohol-fuelled evening in London.
Detective Sergeant Karina Ghersinich, of British Transport Police, said: 'Doe and Tebbutt floored the man and then assaulted him with a volley of punches and kicks.
'Vander joined in and brutally stamped on the victim's head and body using the stiletto heels she was wearing - laughing as she did so.'
Sick celebration: The group then high-fived each other after attacking a passenger who asked them to be quiet
The assault continued for several minutes before another passenger came to the victim's aid and separated the group.
He was then helped off the train by passengers at Ware station, before being transferred to hospital for treatment.
He suffered injuries to his face and hands, bruising to his body and swelling to the back of his neck.
Doe, an estate agent, Tebbutt, a financial officer, and Vander, a personal assistant, remained on the train and were caught on camera laughing and congratulating each other.
Detective Sergeant Ghersinich added: 'The level of violence that these people directed towards their victim was shocking.
'The fact that they celebrated what they had done makes their crime even more sickening.'
The court heard how earlier that evening the trio, from Hertfordshire, had been kicked out of a pub for their unruly behaviour.
They caught a train from Liverpool Street towards Hertford East station and continued to act in a loud and disorderly manner.
But when their fellow traveller objected to foul and abusive language, they responded by dragging him in a headlock from his seat into the vestibule area.
CCTV footage shows other people on the train moving away as the man struggled beneath them on the floor.
Michael Tebbutt, Samantha Vander and Frederick Doe (left to right) were each handed a four-month suspended sentence and 300 hours' community service
Just a few days after the attack, on April 14, they handed themselves in for questioning. All three admitted involvement.
An examination of Doe's phone revealed a text message stating that his hands were bruised and sore.
In another text, he was informed about a news report relating to the incident. It read: 'There is an article on the internet... it looks quite bad.'
In a police interview Vander, who stamped on the victim more than 10 times, admitted 'things got out of hand' and that her 'adrenalin was pumping'.
Doe, from Ware, Tebbutt, from Stanstead Abbotts and Vander, from Hertford, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
British Transport Police Superintendent Paul Brogden said: 'This is an example of anti-social behaviour at its very worst.
'Drunken, thuggish behaviour like this will not be tolerated on the rail network and we will continue to put offenders who think otherwise before the courts.'
Besides the jail sentences - suspended for 12 months - the group were ordered to pay combined costs of £660 and £300 in compensation to the victim.
