Couple sentenced after brutal Swansea street attack

A couple who carried out a violent attack on a man in Swansea city centre, repeatedly punching and kicking him to the head and stamping on his groin, have been sentenced at Swansea Crown Court.

Olivia Lewis and her then-partner Patrick McGinn attacked their victim outside the NCP car park in The Kingsway at 4.25am on 10 February last year. The court heard Lewis was seen pushing the man before McGinn took him to the ground and repeatedly punched him to the head. Lewis then joined in, repeatedly kicking the victim to the head before stamping on his groin multiple times.

The pair simply walked away towards the Potter’s Wheel roundabout, leaving their victim on the floor. Police tracked them down using CCTV, and when arrested, Lewis claimed the man had been “trying to get it on with me” and said McGinn had been “sticking up for me”. A wrap of heroin was found in McGinn’s pocket. Both gave “no comment” interviews.

The victim refused to give his name or accept medical attention and was detained “for his own wellbeing” before being taken to Morriston Hospital. He later declined to make a victim impact statement or release his medical records.

While on bail for that attack, McGinn launched another serious assault on 24 May this year. After meeting a man in St Helen’s Road in the early hours and joining others smoking crack cocaine at a flat in Matthew Street, Dyfatty, McGinn delivered “a number of heavy blows” to the victim’s head with an object during a disturbance. The injured man fled, leaving a trail of blood behind him. A member of the public called police after seeing the bleeding man on the street.

Lewis, 23, of Llanyrnewydd, Penclawdd, Gower, pleaded guilty to affray and has no previous convictions. McGinn, 35, formerly of Mount Pleasant, Gowerton, but now of Webb Place, Port Talbot, pleaded guilty to affray, possession of heroin, and unlawful wounding. He has 42 previous convictions for 90 offences.

James Hartson, defending Lewis, said her actions were “impulsive” and out of character, done “in response to a grievance she believed had taken place”. He described the relationship between Lewis and McGinn as “a union centred around their sharing of drugs” and said McGinn had been a “completely malign influence” on his client. The college student was “happy to be rid of him”, he added.

Ieuan Rees, defending McGinn, acknowledged his client had a “bad record” but noted his last conviction for violence was in 2015, with most convictions being acquisitive in nature to sustain his drug habit. The Dyfatty assault happened shortly after McGinn’s father’s death when he was “in a bad place”, the court heard.

Judge Huw Rees told both defendants they had been involved in a “disgraceful incident” in public in central Swansea before McGinn went on to commit a serious assault with a weapon.

Addressing Lewis, the judge said what she did should be to her “eternal shame”. He told her: “You have come as close as close can be to going to prison. You can count yourself lucky.”

Lewis received a nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months with a one-quarter discount for her guilty plea. She must complete a rehabilitation course, a mental health treatment requirement, and 180 hours of unpaid work.

McGinn was sentenced to 13 months for affray (with a one-quarter discount) and 38 months for wounding (with a 10% discount for his plea entered on the day of trial), to run consecutively, making a total sentence of 51 months. He will serve up to half in custody before being released on licence.