Court: Wrexham man jailed for assaults in city centre

Luke Lockley, of Celtic Road in Summerhill, appeared at Mold Crown Court for sentence on Friday afternoon.

The 38-year-old had admitted two offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, as well as one of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Jade Tufail, prosecuting, told the court that the three victims and the defendant were all out in Wrexham city centre on the night of February 3, 2023, and into the early hours of the following morning.

They were in separate groups but ended up in the same venues at the same time.

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Charlotte Crofts and Lockley had previously been in a romantic relationship - and during the night the defendant attempted to speak to her, as well as a man named Michael Elliott who was with her.

At around 3.45am, Mr Elliott was waiting outside a taxi office in the city centre talking to Ms Crofts when Lockley strode up and punched him to the face.

The blow was delivered with "a lot of force," and caused the skin on the victim's temple to break immediately.

Mr Elliott fell to the ground, unconscious - with Lockley telling him: "You were making sky comments at me all night."

A man named Daniel Jones came to help, and remonstrated with the defendant over his actions.

Lockley responded by punching Mr Jones to the mouth, then headbutting him.

Luke Lockley (NWP) (Image: North Wales Police)The victim was left with a bleeding mouth.

Ms Tufail played footage of the assaults to the court.

Judge Rhys Rowlands, having seen the punch against Mr Elliott, said: "That is absolutely appalling.

"That's just the sort of punch that could have resulted in a fatality.

"I've seen similar blows with people ending up on a mortuary slab."

Ms Tufail said after the incident, Lockley text Ms Crofts and told her and the others not to name him as the perpetrator.

He described Mr Elliott as a "smug c***" who "had what was coming."

When Ms Crofts challenged him on his actions and asked why he hadn't just walked away, Lockley said: "That's not how I do things. I hit him once - not like it's excessive, is it?"

The texts constituted his attempt at perverting the course of justice.

Mr Elliott was left with a permanent scar over his right eye.

Elen Owen, defending, told the court there had been months of delay before her client had been charged and brought before the court.

She said: "He did plead guilty at the earliest opportunity and he accepts through me this was appalling behaviour.

"He cringed when he saw the footage and was appalled by what he said in those texts.

"He'd had far too much to drink and says himself that he should have just walked off.

"That one punch, as Your Honour says, could have proved fatal - we've all seen such situations."

Ms Owen said her client had done a great deal to change his life since the offence, including obtaining skilled and well paid engineering work, as well as entering into a steady relationship.

Judge Rhys Rowlands told the defendant: "Mr Elliott posed no threat to you at all - you punched him without warning, causing him to fall back and his his head on the wall, then fall to the ground.

"You were plainly playing the big man, throwing your weight around."

The Judge concluded that despite the defendant's efforts to better himself in the interim, the offences were far too serious for anything other than immediate custody.

As such, Lockley was jailed for a total of 21 months.

He was also made the subject of a restraining order for five years to prevent him contacting or approaching Ms Crofts.