A father and son are starting prison sentences after a violent and unprovoked assault on a restaurant diner in Maidstone.
Nigel and Ben Goodall used a glass and a dining fork to attack a customer at the Lower Stone Street premises, on 18 March 2020.
The assault took place at around 8.30pm, after the victim had visited the Goodall’s table, to request they moderate their language, which he found to be offensive.
This led to an argument which subsided and all parties returned to their respective tables.
Unprovoked violence
When the man who had made the complaint got up to leave, Ben Goodall approached him and punched his face a number of times.
Nigel Goodall then stabbed the victim’s head repeatedly with a fork. The victim tried to defend himself and all three fell onto a table where Nigel Woodall smashed a glass into his face.
The incident continued until the offenders left the scene, leaving their victim to seek medical attention at hospital.
Guilty
Nigel Goodall, of Medway Meadows, East Peckham and Ben Goodall, of Kent Road, Snodland were both arrested the following day.
They were charged with wounding with intent, to which they pleaded not guilty at Maidstone Crown Court.
Both were convicted after an eight-day trial. On Friday 25 February 2022, Nigel Goodall, aged 68 and Ben Goodall, aged 44 were each sentenced to three years and eight months’ imprisonment.
Investigating officer, PC Lily Mackay, said: ‘This was an unprovoked assault on a man who had merely asked these fellow customers to stop their offensive language.
‘The attack happened very suddenly and, while the victim managed to defend himself to some extent, he suffered deep cuts to his head.
‘These men have acted in an appallingly violent manner and a prison sentence is entirely appropriate in these circumstances.’