Bus Stop Attack: Suspended Sentence For Triple Jaw Fracture

Hospitalised: Chris Goulding

An actor and musician, who suffered a triple jaw fracture during an unprovoked late-night bus stop assault, has “completely lost faith in justice,” after seeing his attacker avoid prison.

Chris Goulding, 33, was on the receiving end of a flurry of punches from drunken 30 year-old Ben Robertson, resulting in his jaw being wired for three months and restricted to a liquid-only diet.

A total of four metal plates and sixteen screws were required to hold his jaw together and two tubes were inserted into his neck to drain fluid away.

Apprentice welder Robertson, formerly of Belton Fields Lane, Belton, North Lincolnshire fought the charge, but was convicted by a jury of inflicting grievous bodily harm in Borough High Street, Southwark on September 1, 2020.

Since the attack he has served a separate ten-month prison sentence for assaulting his father and has been convicted of offences of criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon, threatening behaviour and another assault.

Prosecutor Matt Ward told Inner London Crown Court: “This was a relatively prolonged assault while Mr Goulding was on the ground and the offence was clearly committed under the influence of some alcohol.”

Suspended Sentence: Robertson

Mr Goulding had just enjoyed an evening out with his girlfriend and after walking her home was set upon by Robertson as he waited for a bus near Southwark Police Station at 10.30pm.

Fortunately three off-duty police officers were nearby and broke-up the assault, but not before clearly seeing Robertson land at least three heavy punches on the prone victim.

In his victim impact statement Mr Goulding - who has been unable to work since he was attacked - confirmed he suffered a “life-threatening infection” and lost nearly two stones in weight.

He has needed at least twenty-seven return visits to King’ College Hospital and suffered bone loss, nerve damage and facial numbness.

Mr Goulding was a drummer on the London live music scene, but in his victim statement confirmed he has spent long periods of time “housebound” and had been left “physically and emotionally exhausted” by the ordeal.

He relied on home nursing visits and twice collapsed during his long recovery and was admitted to A&E with heart palpitations.

He has signed-off work with PTSD, has been diagnosed with depression and continues to have a fear of attack when in public.

Describing his recovery struggles as a “horrific catalogue of events,” Mr Goulding took to the witness box to tell Recorder Jonathan Richards he is now “resigned to a life of mundanity.”

He has permanent facial numbness, causing difficulty eating and drinking and now dislikes loud and busy places, in contrast to his former live music pursuits.

“I had a complete physical breakdown,” Mr Goulding told the court. “It has had a devastating effect on my future career prospects.”

He even saw a Harley Street psychiatrist after developing nervous ticks and twitches when under stress and was prescribed valium for stress.

Robertson’s lawyer Laura Stockdale told the court her Doncaster-native client’s once-promising future was ruined by mental health issues and cannabis use, forcing him to quit his Newcastle University degree course after two years.

Ordeal: Mr Goulding

He has been sectioned multiple times under the Mental Health Act, suffered depression and more recently was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.

“At the time of the offence he was homeless, having been kicked out of his home in Doncaster and he did apologise in his evidence for the extent of Mr Goulding’s injuries.”

Robertson has now secured housing association accommodation in William Street, Scunthorpe.

Mr Golding says he was attacked by two men, with only Robertson prosecuted and has a clear memory of being kicked by the defendant and seeing the sole of his trainer coming down.

The trial jury cleared Robertson - who claimed self-defence - of the more serious offence of inflicting GBH, with intent, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Recorder Richards told him: “Three off-duty police officers saw you throwing punches. You punched him repeatedly in the face, causing really horrific injuries.

Outside Court: Chris Goulding

“Mr Goulding in no way posed any threat to you that night, yet you continued to punch a man who was on the ground. It was a really serious offence.

“The injuries are extremely serious. A triple-fractured jaw requiring plates and screws to be inserted and straws were inserted into his neck to drain fluids.

“Your mental health issues played a significant part in your assault on Mr Goulding and you caused grave injury to Mr Goulding that has resulted in a permanent condition.

“The paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis goes a long way to explaining your conduct that night and you were of good character up to that point.

“You now appear to have turned something of a corner and started to build a better life for yourself and get your life back on track and have stayed away from alcohol and drugs.

“The prisons are, as everyone knows, overcrowded at this time and that makes a custodial sentence harder on you, given your mental health.

“The pre-sentence report says that you are at low-risk of re-offending and are determined to stay on the right track.”

Robertson was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years and must comply with a two-year mental health treatment order and a twenty-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Mr Goulding did not remain in court after hearing Robertson’s prison sentence would be suspended and outside said: “I have completely lost faith in justice and have lost faith in my country.

“I am also concerned for the public as we now have a violent paranoid schizophrenic on the streets who poses a danger to the public.

“He is getting on with life. He’s been given a housing association flat, I can’t get a council flat, he has an apprenticeship and I have had four years of hell and s***.”