Pair ‘lost control’ and threw wild punches in Northwich pub brawl

Isabella Walsh and Ng’Andwe Mubili were told that they ‘completely lost self-control’ during the incident and their behaviour was ‘truly awful and disgusting’.

The disturbance began inside the pub, before continuing outside in the street and descending into chaos in the early hours of the morning.

However, the duo were allowed to walk free from Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, May 30, due to positive character references in their favour.

The court heard from prosecutor Ryan Rothwell how both defendants initially pleaded not guilty to a charge of affray, before changing their pleas and admitting the offence during the month of the trial in April.

Events unfolded in the late hours of Saturday, September 18, 2021, and the early hours of the next day, with the pair drinking in Blue Barrel pub on Chester Road in Northwich.

Two families became engaged in a disagreement, with CCTV cameras capturing the incident, both inside the pub and outside on the street.

Two clips of footage were played in court, with the first from inside showing now 19-year-old Walsh shouting and pointing at someone off-camera, before throwing a pint of lager over them.

The second clip showed events directly outside the pub, with two groups pointing and shouting at each other in the street.

A brawl ensued between around a dozen people, with Walsh shown throwing punches, pushing people and pulling a woman’s hair.

Mubili, now 31, was also shown throwing punches, with judge Steven Everett commenting while watching the footage: “My word, what possessed them all.”

The pair were arrested by police who arrived at the scene and gave no comment during an interview with officers.

Mr Rothwell told the court that Walsh has no previous convictions, while Mubili has eight for 11 offences, mainly minor, with one being for threatening behaviour some years ago.

They were sentenced at Chester Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Commenting on the offence, he described it as ‘sustained violence while under the influence of alcohol’.

In defence of Walsh, Stuart Neale said his client was 17 at the time of the offence and has ‘turned her life around, living an excellent life’.

She is a STEM – science, technology, engineering and maths – ambassador and who gave a presentation to schoolchildren and has ‘every prospect of being a model citizen’, he added.

Describing the justice process as ‘one of the biggest learning curves any young person can have’, he said: “I am confident the court will not see her again in the dock.”

Craig MacGregor, defending Mubili, commented he came out of the pub and tried to usher Walsh away to start with before receiving racist abuse.

“He has good references who describe him as a kind, caring and honest young man,” he said.

Before sentencing, Judge Everett said: “This was particularly shameful stuff from the pair of you. You completely lost your self-control and your behaviour was disgusting.

“The pair of you were punching out more than once. It was awful – truly awful.

“This was sustained violence by the pair of you, and it is by good fortune no one was seriously injured by you.”

Walsh, of Brocklebank Drive in Northwich, was handed a 12-month community order, while Mubili, of Artisan Way in Leftwich, was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months.

They must both also abide by an electronically monitored curfew between the hours of 7pm and 5am for the next three months.

After handing down the sentences, Judge Everett added: “If you commit any further offences, you will come back before me and I will send you down, and you would not like HMP Styal.

“I never want to see the two of you again, and if I do, you will go through that back door.”

A third defendant charged in relation to the incident, Darren Meredith, aged 50 and of Oldham Street in Warrington, is due to be sentenced next month.