Gareth Dunne ‘appointed himself judge, jury and executioner’ after accusing his innocent victim of attempting to abduct a child
Gareth Dunne ‘appointed himself judge, jury and executioner’ after accusing his innocent victim of attempting to abduct a child
A man was chased out of a Hollywood Bowl by a “baying mob” while being called a “nonce” before being kicked unconscious. Gareth Dunne twice booted the innocent victim, who had falsely been accused of “trying to abduct a child”, to the face outside the bowling alley on Edge Lane.
He suffered a bleed on the brain and spent days in hospital as a result, as well as being arrested as the police investigated the unfounded allegations made against him. A judge yesterday told his attacker that he had “taken the law into his own hands” and “appointed himself judge, jury and executioner”.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Wednesday that Paul Robinson had attended Hollywood Bowl on November 3 2023 in order to meet with friends. But, having been dropped off by his wife, he then realised that he had “attended the wrong location”, with the venue where they were meeting having apparently changed without his knowledge.
Jonathan Keane, prosecuting, described how he instead sat drinking at the bar and playing on arcade games inside the premises. While doing so, he was said to have “interacted” with a teenage girl before leaving to get food from a nearby restaurant.
Upon returning to the bowling alley, Mr Robinson ordered a further drink and sat using his mobile phone while waiting to be collected by his partner. But Dunne, of County Road in Walton, then accused him of taking pictures of the same child, telling him “she’s only six” and hitting him to the chest.
Members of staff then intervened before the complainant was pursued out of the site by the 45-year-old defendant, his partner and an unidentified man. This chasing pack were said to have called him a “nonce” while also accusing him of “trying to take” the girl.
The other male thereafter pushed Mr Robinson into a fence, causing him to fall to the floor. Dunne then kicked him twice to the head, rendering him unconscious.
Workers from the bowling alley placed him into the recovery position before he eventually came to, at which stage he was “disorientated and couldn’t remember what happened”. A CT scan subsequently revealed bleeding and bruising on the brain, leading to a three-day stay in the Royal Liverpool Hospital.
Mr Robinson was arrested as a result of the accusations made against him, although Mr Keane said that Merseyside Police were “thankfully able to quickly conclude from CCTV footage that no offence had been committed” by him. An analysis of his phone also revealed that he had not used the device’s camera at any stage during the incident.
When interviewed, Dunne accepted having slapped Mr Robinson in order to enable him to look at his phone but claimed that the other man had been responsible for the kicks. He has no previous convictions.
Lloyd Morgan, defending, told the court: “He is a man who, aside from his involvement in this terrible incident, has made positive contributions to society and the welfare of others. He is utterly ashamed of his behaviour on that particular night.
“It was a misunderstanding. He had been given information by other people and acted in the way he did, a manner in which he is ashamed of and apologetic for. He had taken been taking alcohol prior to that. That clearly had some effect on him.
“This is an offence which is completely out of his character. He qualified in his work as an electrician after leaving school. He is currently employed with an electrical contractor and has applied for a job with a power station in the south of the country.
“He is a man who is not afraid of hard work and has worked hard all of his life. References speak to Mr Dunne’s character, his positive influence in the workplace, his exemplary behaviour, a well respected man, something of a counterbalance to his actions from the 3rd of November 2023.
“His mother, who is 72, suffers from COPD. Although she is in assisted living, Mr Dunne stays overnight with her to lend assistance more days than not during the week.
“Significantly, he has not caused harm to members of the public since and has remained out with the attention of the police during that period of time. Clearly, he is not drinking as much and, clearly, he is not getting himself into situations leading to this occurring.”
Dunne admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and battery. Appearing in the dock wearing a black jumper over a white shirt, he looked to the ceiling and breathed a deep sigh as he was jailed for 18 months before turning to a man in the public gallery and telling him: “Phone my mum. Tell my mum.”
Sentencing, Judge Charlotte Crangle said: “Paul Robinson was on his own, minding his own business. He had gone out with friends, but the venue had been changed without him knowing.
“An innocent interaction led you to jump to a huge conclusion and escalate matters out of all proportion. Rather than having a mature, adult conversation or reporting it, you took the law into your own hands. You appointed yourself judge, jury and executioner. Your reactions were fuelled by the alcohol you had taken on that night.
“When he pleaded his innocence, you chased him, shouting names and suggesting that he had been trying to abduct a child. Because of these entirely unfounded allegations, others joined the chase.
“He was caught up by this baying mob and pushed to the floor. Your victim was prone in that vulnerable position. He was kicked twice to the head. Staff tried to calm the situation down. You ignored them and had to be dragged away.
“Such incidents end with fatal head injuries. Luckily for him and you, his injuries were not to prove that serious. He does not feel particularly lucky now. He had to suffer the indignity of being arrested and accused of sexual offences. Luckily, it was quick work by the police which led to his complete exoneration.
“Those who take it upon themselves to behave in this way must expect to be punished by the courts. All parents would perhaps sympathise with somebody being angry if such a situation unfolded, but you cannot take the law into your own hands.
“It is clear that you have some extremely positive features and that you are very well thought of by others. You have no previous convictions, and these offences are clearly out of character for you. You have also remained out of trouble and taken steps to address your drinking and the underlying issues in the mean time.”
