Wife’s anguish after football thugs who left husband, 47, permanently brain damaged are all freed from prison
THE WIFE of an innocent football fan who was left permanently brain damaged in a brutal attack is furious after the thugs were freed from prison having served just half their sentences.
Cambridge United supporter Simon Dobbin, 47, from Mildenhall, Suffolk can no longer walk or talk following the savage and unprovoked attack at an away game in Southend.
The dad-of-three suffered permanent and life-changing brain damage after he was set upon as he walked to Prittlewell station in Southend, Essex in March 2015.
The thugs convicted over the "savage attack" were handed jail terms totalling more than 42 years.
But today his wife Nicole revealed that all of them are now back on the streets.
She told the : "It feels like a slap in the face.
"Every time I look at Simon, I can see the damage they caused him.
"They are monsters. They didn’t give any consideration to what they were doing."
Nicole expressed her frustration at the fact that while her husband's attackers are now free, her family won't have the same luxury of being able to move on.
"We have to continue to fight every day," said Nicole.
"They only served half their sentence but we’ll be carrying on now for as long as Simon lives with a life sentence.
"He’s not going to all of a sudden improve, he’s not going to walk and talk. It just seems so unfair."
They only served half their sentence but we’ll be carrying on now for as long as Simon lives with a life sentence.
Nine men were found guilty of violent disorder, three of conspiracy to commit violent disorder and one of assisting an offender following a trial at Basildown Crown Court.
Three of the 12 men were jailed for five years for violent disorder, an offence which carries a maximum term of five years in prison.
One of those, Ryan Carter, was the last of the gang to be released earlier this month.
In 2015 the footie hooligans scouted out locations as they planned the attack in revenge for a fight earlier in the day in which Mr Dobbin had no involvement.
They ambushed the small group of Cambridge United supporters and during the violence, Mr Dobbin was kicked and stamped on repeatedly.
Police called Simon "a thoroughly decent man" who was the "entirely innocent victim of an unprovoked, savage attack".
In April it will be five years since the attack and yet Nicole said she is still waiting for criminal injuries compensation as she struggles to look after Simon on benefits.
THUGS JAILED FOR 'SAVAGE' ATTACK THAT LEFT FOOTBALL FAN WITH BRAIN DAMAGE
The men were found guilty following a six-week trial at Basildon Crown Court after jurors delivered unanimous verdicts on all but one defendant.
Eight men were found to have been directly involved in the violent disorder, while three were involved in a conspiracy.
Another man was cleared of taking part in the conspiracy but found guilty of hiding one of the men in his bedroom.
Those convicted are Rhys Pullen, 21, Ryan Carter, 21, Jamie Chambers, 24, Lewis Courtnell, 34, Scott Nicholls, 40, Matthew Petchey, 26, Thomas Randall, 22, Alexander Woods, 25 and James Woods, 25.
Three men were cleared of violent disorder, but found guilty of conspiracy to commit violent disorder.
They are Greg Allen, 29, Phil McGill, 32, and Michael Shawyer, 31.
Ian Young, 41, of Westcliff, was cleared of conspiracy to commit violent disorder but found guilty of assisting an offender by hiding the group while police were conducting a search. He will be sentenced next month.
Text messages from defendant Thomas Randall suggested co-defendants Ryan Carter and Rhys Pullen had been "knocked out" and Michael Shawyer was left "fuming".
Another message said: "Going to kick off big time after the game. We are going to ambush them."
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She said: "Both Simon and I worked full-time, we had good jobs, we had a good income.
"The benefits are very little compared to what we were earning so you have to adjust your lifestyle as well.
"It's just about keeping Simon at home and giving him the best care possible."
