Married couple left man with broken jaw after getting ‘the wrong end of the stick’ over ‘homophobic slur’ during pub drinking session

A married couple battered a man senseless in a pub leaving him with a broken jaw after they got ‘the wrong end of the stick’ over a perceived ‘homophobic slur’, a court heard.

Prince and Rubern Garland had lashed out at the man in the Cherry Tree pub in Canterbury after assuming a derogatory term had been directed at them. 

In the resulting fracas, the victim Elliot Knights-Sloane was aggressively pulled backwards by his ponytail and hit so hard in the face he lost consciousness. 

Canterbury Crown Court heard that both of the Garlands had a history of violence with Rubern on licence following a five year jail sentence at the time of the August 8 attack last year, KentOnline reports. 

The court heard that Mr Knights-Sloane had been out with his friends around 11pm when Prince Garland had approached them and began a conversation.  

A married couple battered a man senseless in a pub leaving him with a broken jaw over a perceived ‘homophobic slur’,

Prince and Rubern Garland had lashed out at the man in the Cherry Tree pub in Canterbury

Canterbury Crown Court heard that both of the Garlands had a history of violence

Prosecutor Andrew Hallworth told the court that the mood had changed after one of Mr Knight-Sloane’s friends had made a comment which ‘could be taken as an insult by someone of a homosexual nature’ – despite referring to himself. 

Mr Hallworth continued: ‘That was misheard by Prince Garland – he took offence and poured his drink over the man’s head, shouting and swearing and calling him various names. 

‘It was at that point that Rubern Garland approached to see what was happening and Prince Garland pointed and said ‘He just called me a f**’, to which Rubern replied: ‘I’ll f****** knock him out.’

‘The complainant then found himself trying to remedy things, explaining that nothing was meant by this and they had got the wrong end of the stick. But they just would not listen and their attention turned on him.’ 

Mr Knights-Sloane felt his head being pulled backwards by Prince Garland before Rubern Garland directed a succesful punch to the right side of his face. 

The prosecutor added: ‘That knocked him to the floor and the next thing he remembered was waking up from being knocked unconscious and the two men had gone.’

Due to the battery, Mr Knights-Sloane’s jaw was fractured and he was forced to have metal pins inserted to remedy it. 

His teeth were also left offset by the blow and he will require extensive corrective orthodontic treatment, the court was told. 

Rubern, 30, and Prince, 31, later pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm. 

Both men pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm at Canterbury Crown Court 

They were each given suspended jail sentences and ordered to pay their victim £400

Rubern has 14 previous convictions for 30 offences, including battery and possession of an offensive weapon, and was on licence from prison for offences of robbery and possessing a bladed article. 

Meanwhile, Prince has previous convictions for assault causing actual bodily harm in 2011 and inflicting grievous bodily harm in 2017, for which he received a suspended sentence. 

Rubern was sentenced to a suspended 15-month jail term whilst Prince was given 12 months – also suspended for two years. 

Rubern was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, 40 rehabilitation activity requirements (RAR), and complete the Thinking Skills programme.

Both were given an alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement for 120 days and Prince was ordered to carry out 25 RAR days.

They must also pay their victim a total of £400 compensation within six months.

Sparing the pair jail, Recorder Edmund Fowler described their actions as an ‘unedifying display of aggression and violence.’

He said: ‘Frankly, my gut reaction was to send you both inside immediately.

‘But having read all about you in the pre-sentence reports and heard from your learned counsel, there may be just a chance that with appropriate requirements there is a prospect of rehabilitation for you both.’

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