Five jailed after ‘disgraceful incident’ at Liverpool MMA show
Five men are given jail sentences in connection with the violent brawl that occurred at the Black-E in March 2017.
Chaos erupted at an MMA event in Liverpool, England last March after corner-men and spectators stormed the ring to fight with one of the competitors. The event took place at the Great Georges Cultural Community Project, aka The Black-E.
The brawl began during a kickboxing match between Adam Lea and Darren Lawler after Lea elbowed Lawler in the face. Lawler’s corner were incensed at the strike and one of them tried to attack Lea with a stool.
Video acquired by The Liverpool ECHO captured the moments after the brawl kicked off, showing dozens of people fighting across the venue. Video footage reveals individuals fighting with chairs, stools, and metal posts as well as throwing bottles at each other.
The most disturbing part of the video shows Anthony Addison, 29, beaten by multiple assailants until he loses consciousness. Addison is then mercilessly attacked while defenseless on the ground.
A year later the ECHO reports that a number of individuals have been jailed for their actions during the mass brawl. Among those charged with affray are individuals with prior criminal convictions for drugs, weapons, and even manslaughter.
Addison was one of those jailed. He received a seven-and-a-half month sentence for his actions preceding the moment he was knocked unconscious.
Ian Joseph Lea Jr., 28, who threw a bottle and elbowed Addison in the head while he was unconscious, was given a 10 month sentence. Lea Jr. is Adam Lea’s brother.
Ian Lea Sr., 53, father to both Adam Lea and Ian Lea Jr., was also jailed. He received 20 months in jail, for kicking an unconscious Addison twice in the head.
Ryan Gildea, 35, was given a 15 month sentence in absence (he failed to attend court). At the Black-E he threw bottles and tried to hit an unconscious Addison with a metal post.
According to the ECHO , Gildea is a convicted killer who held a man while his accomplice stabbed him to death in 2002. For this Gildea was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison. Gildea was also jailed in 2011 (for robbery) and 2015 (burglary and theft).
Travis Muat, 28, received a 12 1⁄2 month sentence for his actions at the Black-E. The ECHO claimed that Muat has been a drug dealer since the age of 16 and that he once served a seven year sentence after being arrested in possession of a handgun while dealing Class A drugs. Muat was also jailed in 2015 for battery and harassment.
Gerard Gilboy, 30, was also sentenced to 12 1⁄2 months. He struck Addison with a chair during the brawl. Gilboy’s first interactions with the police occurred when he was 14. The ECHO states that he was later jailed for dealing heroin. Gilboy was also jailed for harassment in 2007; which involved Gilboy vandalizing a woman’s home and threatening to cut the head off of her baby.
Judge Alan Conrad, QC, who handed out the sentences to all men described what happened at the Black-E as a “disgraceful incident.”
A month after this brawl, a man was stabbed outside of ECHO Arena in Liverpool after a Cage Warriors event featuring Paddy Pimblett.
Liverpool, which was named European Capital of Culture in 2008, will host the UFC for the very first time on May 27th, 2018. UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Till is currently scheduled to feature Darren Till, who is from Liverpool, in the main event.