Gosport thug on ‘knife edge’ to being jailed for his part in brutal street attack is given final chance

Thug Stanlie Lambie, 19, had his sentence deferred in January for him to prove he had curbed his ways after attacking an innocent man and stealing items from him. The savage assault outside an address in St John’s Square at around 5am saw Aiden West, 23, jailed for two years.

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Portsmouth Crown Court previously heard the men repeatedly punched and kicked the male victim in his 20s to the head and face. Lambie stole items from the victim’s pockets while West continued the beating.

The defendants fled before returning and pushed the victim away from the address. They then continued the assault as the victim retreated – with West stamping on his head and chest.

Police arrived and found the unconscious victim on the floor. He suffered a broken nose, knocked-out tooth and cuts and bruises.

While West, of Parham Road, Gosport, was jailed in January after admitting attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, Lambie, of Gladstone Road, Gosport, admitted theft and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. But Lambie was granted an opportunity during the same hearing when he was handed a deferred sentence for the court to assess his conduct in the months following his conviction.

Appearing back at crown court, judge Richard Shepherd wanted to see how Lambie was doing with an order of unpaid work, before telling the defendant: ‘It is patchy. You are sensible to bring a bag with you today.’

Lambie had breached the order in February before ‘improving a great deal’ in the last month, with the judge ‘not sure he complied with the spirit of my deferment’. However, despite the threat of sending him to jail, judge Shepherd decided he could extend the deferred sentence until July 6 to make a final decision.

He told Lambie he was on a ‘knife edge’ before adding: ‘Your compliance simply wasn’t good enough but in the last few weeks you appear to have turned things round. This is entirely on your shoulders. I will ask for a (probation) report and if it is not glowing you will go to prison.’

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