'I've had to learn to live again', says mother of three who was battered by drunken thugs
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 1:29 PM on 23rd December 2010
Last updated at 1:29 PM on 23rd December 2010
A student teacher revealed today how she has had to learn how to live again after a pub brawl left her in a wheelchair.
Mother of three Lorraine Venning, 46, was punched to the floor as she tried to stop a gang of men from attacking the landlord of her local pub.
Lorraine Venning is pictured in hospital following the pub brawl near Harrogate. She had come to the aid of the landlord when she was attacked
She suffered a fractured eye socket which led to a bleed on her brain resulting in two seizures. The resulting brain injury affected her sight, hearing, walking and ability to carry out simple day-to-day tasks.
'I have had to re-learn basic life skills, from reading to making myself a cup of tea,' she said.
Ms Venning two months in hospital and a period of time in a wheelchair.
She said her injuries meant she had to give up career plans to become a hairdresser lecturer and made it impossible for her to care for her young family.
Ms Venning said: 'I used to be a full time, single mother of the children. I was very independent and saved money by performing my own home, garden and car maintenance.
'Due to this incident, my children lost their mother. To them, the lady who returned from neurology rehabilitation was a different mum. I was weak and unable to care for them. It is I who now needs the care and support.'
Lorraine spoke out after six men from Doncaster were jailed for more than 15 years for their part in the drink-fuelled brawl at the Royal Oak pub near Harrogate.
She said: 'I have served 20 months of my 'sentence' already. While those lads were out on bail living their life, I was learning how to live again.
'I feel sad that this is what happens when you try to help somebody. I was attacked when I attended to someone who had been assaulted and I ended up with life-changing injuries.
'I will take this journey and use it like a work experience placement and hopefully give something back for what was given to me by supporting other people with brain injuries.'
Jailed for pub brawl: (Top l-r) Nathan Bridges, Lee Curry and Gavin Poole. (Bottom l-r) Dean Macalister, Dean Wilkes and Rick Ellery
The brawl occurred in May 2009 after the six men visited Pateley Bridge for a fishing trip.
The gang were drinking in The Crown and The Royal Oak pubs in the town and witnesses described them as "loud" and they began making lewd comments about the local women.
Prior to the fight, the thugs were ejected from The Royal Oak by the landlord after one of them was spotted groping two young women. Once outside the pub, the group attacked the landlord.
A large scale fight then ensued which resulted in a number of men and women being assaulted. A number of large plant pots were thrown.
Some of the victims and witnesses were already outside within the smoking shelter or just outside the door. As the fight escalated, customers from The Royal Oak went outside and became caught up in the violence.
The thugs were seen to kick people on the ground and systematically work their way through the crowd assaulting people as they went.
Lorraine and her friends tried to stop the thugs attacking the landlord but they were beaten up themselves.
At York Crown Court, Gavin Poole, 18, admitted violent disorder and two sexual assaults and was jailed for three and a half years.
Dean Macalister, 28, and Lewis Curry, 21 both got two and half years in prison. Nathan Bridges, 21, was jailed for two years, nine months and Dean Wilkes, 24, was jailed for 12 months. All admitted violent disorder.
Ricky Ellery, 25, denied violent disorder but was convicted and sentenced to three years, nine months in prison.
Det Con Sarah Lynch of North Yorkshire Police said: 'The devastating consequences of mindless, alcohol-fuelled violence has been tragically highlighted by this case.
'A member of the public who went to the aid of another has had her life changed forever, her career plans destroyed and her family life torn apart. Another victim has lost his sight and many others have suffered from cuts and bruising.
'We hope today's outcome sends a clear warning to others who use drink as an excuse for violence, that their behaviour will not be tolerated and they will find themselves facing the full force of the law.'
Ms Venning added: 'It scares me, especially now with the Christmas drinking, to think how many innocent people could be injured as a result of fighting.
'If alcohol or any substance changes who you are and you know that you can become violent or irresponsible, then you have a responsibility to control the drink, not let it control you!
'Life's not what you make it, it's how you react to it.'
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