Schoolboy scrap in Leeds village left youngster needing eye-saving surgery

Connor Maxfield, who is now 18, hit the victim with such force during the fight in Swillington, east Leeds, it fractured his eye socket in two places and left pouring with blood.

The court heard that it took place on Neville Grove in the village on March 17, 2020. Maxfield was just 16 at the time.

There had been a grudge held by Maxfield towards the victim. A third party rang the victim that day and told him that Maxfield would be at the location.

They came together and the fight began with Maxfield punching the victim twice, causing the serious injury. The victim managed to fight back but Maxfield continued to punch him in the face.

The victim did try to walk away but was followed by Maxfield, who grabbed him and threw him into the road, before kicking him as he walked away. The fight lasted around two-to-three minutes and it was filmed on phones by others who watched.

The victim went him and his mother had to take him to Leeds General Infirmary and required surgery. Doctors found the double fracture to the eye socket and problems with the muscle around the eye. He required surgery and later said he continued to get double vision in the effected eye.

Maxfield was interviewed by police after the fight but maintained that he was acting in self defence.

He continued to deny a charge of Section 20 GBH but pleaded guilty on the day he was due to stand trial. The court heard that his denials and the backlog of cases caused by Covid-19 led to the lengthy delay in the case coming to court.

He has one previous conviction for a non-dwelling burglary in 2019, for which he was given a conditional discharge. A probation report found that Maxfield, formerly of Springwell Avenue, Swillington, had since moved to the Middleton area and was working full time for a boot-repair company.

Mitigating, Michael Walsh said that Maxfield was adamant he did not “lure” the victim to the scene, and had no idea he was called to attend. Maxfield also claimed that he then felt guilty over the victim and took him to the shop to buy him a drink and offered him a cigarette.

The judge, Recorder David Gordon, told him: “It was a nasty injury, a grave injury. I’m told you are sorry and remorseful for your behaviour, which I’m prepared to accept.

"I have to be mindful that at the time of of this offence, the maximum sentence that could be imposed would be in the order of 24 months.”

He gave him a 15-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, told him to pay £500 compensation to the victim, 150 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation days.

Hen told him: “You are lucky, some judges would have sent you down. You have been given a chance.”