Brutal Edinburgh nightclub assault pair dodge prison

A VIOLENT thug who battered a doorman and a barmaid unconscious after he was refused entry to a nightclub for wearing a tracksuit has escaped a jail sentence.
Guilty: Kevin BlackGuilty: Kevin Black
Guilty: Kevin Black

Dean Wilkes punched bouncer Johnny Dewar to the ground before kicking him to the head after being turned away from Edinburgh’s 4042 club in February 2019.

Wilkes, 29, also knocked out barmaid Barbara Keszthelyi by brutally smashing her in the face as she attempted to help her colleague during the assault.

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The injured pair were rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary following for treatment to facial wounds. Mr Dewar has also been left with a permanent scar to his face.

Thug: Dean WilkesThug: Dean Wilkes
Thug: Dean Wilkes

Wilkes was ordered to pay both victims £3000 each in compensation when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

He was also placed on supervision of two years and told he must complete 260 hours of unpaid work

The self-employed heating engineer had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting the doorman to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger to life.

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He also admitted to assaulting Ms Keszthelyi by punching her to the head to her permanent disfigurement.

Victim: Doorman Johnny DewarVictim: Doorman Johnny Dewar
Victim: Doorman Johnny Dewar

Sheriff Donald Corke said: “This is clearly a very serious matter and easily passes the custody threshold.

“It was an appalling incident and only your lack of record and the social work reports is saving you from custody.”

Co-accused Kevin Black, 37, was told he must pay Mr Dewar £600 in compensation and fined £480 after he admitted to kicking the bouncer as he lay on the ground.

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Previously the court heard Wilkes and Black, both from Edinburgh, attempted to gain entry to the Grindlay Street nightclub at around 1.20am but were refused as Wilkes was wearing sportswear.

Victim: Barbara KeszthelyiVictim: Barbara Keszthelyi
Victim: Barbara Keszthelyi

CCTV footage showed them arguing with door staff before a fight breaks out and played in court captured the brutal assaults as violence flared.

Procurator Fiscal Depute, Rosie Cook said Mr Dewar needed eight stitches to cuts to his mouth and his forehead while barmaid Ms Keszthelyi required stitches to an injury to her cheek.

Both victims needed dental treatment and the doorman also suffered a recurrence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his time spent in the armed forces.

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Wilkes’ solicitor Victoria Good said her client is “deeply ashamed” of his part in the attack and the assaults were “out of character”.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting Johnny Dewar by repeatedly striking him to the head, struggle with him, pull him to the ground, strike him to the head causing him to fall to the ground and lose consciousness and attempt to stamp on his head, all to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger to his life at Grindlay Street, Edinburgh, on February 22 last year.

Wilkes also admitted to assaulting Barbara Keszthelyi by punching her to the head causing her to fall to the ground and lose consciousness to her permanent disfigurement during the same incident.

Black admitted to an amended charge of assaulting Mr Dewar by kicking him once to the head during the fracas.

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