4:54pm Wednesday 5th January 2005
By James Brockett
TWO of the five defendants charged with a vicious assault in Harrow town centre have had their charges dropped due to lack of evidence.
Harrow Crown Court ruled that there was insufficient grounds to link Sabrina Thompson, 23, of Mirren Close, Harrow, and John Perry, 19, of Dale Avenue, Edgware, with the attack on Carl Daycrew in the early hours of March 29 last year. The other three defendants, Kayleigh Woodford, 19, of Learner Drive, Harrow, Adam Stevens, 23, of Dale Avenue, Edgware, and John Hanley, 46, of Angel Road, Harrow, still face charges of grevious bodily harm and violent disorder.
Carl Daycrew, 21, from Northolt, suffered severe head injuries in the incident and has been left permanently brain damaged. After a night out with friends in the Trinity Bar, Station Road, an argument broke out between his group and some girls in a nearby pizza and kebab outlet. Carl and his friends moved on to the Interline Cab Office on the corner of Tyburn Lane, where other young men became involved in a scuffle. Mr Hanley, the cab controller, then ejected them from the office. Carl was found bleeding in an alleyway near Harrow on the Hill Station at around 1.30am. He was taken to hospital and suffered a haematoma, a blood clot to the brain.
Andrew Lloyd-Eley, prosecuting, showed the court CCTV footage taken that evening, in which Carl and his friends could be seen leaving the cab office and heading for the station. Several cars were arriving at the same time and it is alleged that some of the occupants became involved. An expert in facial recognition analysed the pictures for potential suspects, but found that it provided"moderate" to "limited" identification. Judge Black ruled that, in the absence of witness or other identification for Perry and Thompson, their charges should be dismissed.
The remaining three defendants were bailed to appear again on January 21.
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