Attack on Croydon and Sutton footballer may have been revenge, extradition hearing told (From Sutton Guardian)

Attack on Croydon and Sutton footballer may have been revenge, extradition hearing told

4:07pm Saturday 12th December 2009

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A group of men accused of an attack which left a British holidaymaker in a coma may have acted in revenge for an earlier incident at a football match, an extradition hearing was told.

Robert Hughes, 27, at the time of the assault, was left in a coma for two months and needed four life saving operations on his skull after the attack in Malia, Crete in June last year.

The former Sutton United and Croydon Athletic player has suffered a 10-year memory loss as a result of the attack.

Curtis Taylor, 20, Daniel Bell, 21, and Sean Branton, 20, all from Horley, Surrey; Joseph Bruckland, 20 from Hookwood, Surrey; Benjamin Herdman, 20, from Worth, Sussex; and George Hollands, 22, from Reigate, Surrey, are all accused of serious assault.

They appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates Court yesterday for an extradition hearing after being arrested on a European arrest warrant last Thursday.

On behalf of the Greek judicial authority, prosecutor John Jones said a man had informed police that Mr Hughes was known to one of the attackers before the assault.

Mr Jones said: “When told the names of the six men arrested, he recognised one of these as being the footballer Sean Branton, who had been sent off two years earlier for a foul against the victim.”

If convicted of the attack the men face up to 10 years in jail.

The court heard Mr Branton, who is at college, has a young daughter and a girlfriend; Mr Taylor, a painter and decorator, was father to two twins, and Mr Bruckland was a carpenter.

Mr Bell was a soldier with 1st Rifles and had recently completed a tour in Helmand province in Afghanistan but was asked to leave the army when he failed a drugs test.

He has now completed a course as a gym instructor and in first aid.

The court heard Mr Hollands was a qualified plumber and Mr Herdman was currently studying for a degree at Brighton University.

Warrants for the men were issued after they failed to voluntarily attend a Greek court this year on the anniversary attack, despite an invitation by Greek authorities.

Defending the six suspects, Alun Jones QC, said the men had been advised not to attend the summons after the Greek court had failed to respond to numerous requests for more information on the details of the summons and its implications.

Mr Taylor and Mr Bruckland were remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on December 30.

The four remaining men: Mr Hollands, Mr Branton, Mr Bell and Mr Hardman were released on bail to appear on the same date.

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