Five jailed following violent assault outside Bristol Airport
Five men have been jailed for a combined 16 years and 10 months after a serious assault outside Bristol Airport.
Vladamir Stan, Able Marin, Florin Stan, Constantin Stan, aged 29, and Emanuel-Ronaldo Dumitru, aged 27, all pleaded guilty to violent disorder during a sentencing hearing at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 28 August.
Vladamir, Able and Florin, aged 52, 21 and 28 respectively, additionally pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon and Constantin also pleaded guilty to several shoplifting offences.
The court was told how, on Saturday 21 February this year at around 8.30am, the defendants arrived at Bristol Airport in separate cars and waited for their victims, aged 21 and 37, to leave the pick-up point.
Once their victims were in a vehicle, four different vehicles collided with the victims at the roundabout by the airport entrance on the A38, causing significant fear to the occupants and other road users.
The five defendants then got out their cars and brandished bats at the two men and started to attack them.
The 37-year-old sustained knife wounds to his legs, while the 21-year-old sustained cuts and bruises to his head and body.
Officers were called to the scene at the time of the incident, but the defendants made off from police. They were located around 45 minutes later on the junction 9 (Tewkesbury) off the M5 northbound carriageway.
One of the officers in the case, DC Ryan Hurt, said: “This attack was a serious incident that was targeted and planned, occurring during a Saturday morning at an airport with no thought for anyone else including members of the public.
“This incident involved many different departments, cooperation between three different forces and numerous officers to respond to it.
“The carelessness of those involved have had damaging physical and psychological effects on the victims one of which is still receiving physiotherapy and trying to return to living a normal everyday life.
“We understand the defendants and victims are known to each other, and we would like to reassure the public that we do not believe there to be any wider risk and we worked collaboratively with colleagues at Bristol Airport during this investigation.
“We’re determined to make sure that those who cause such serious harm with such carelessness for others are brought before the courts.”
When passing his sentence, His Honour Judge Burgess described the attack as ‘well organised’ and ‘coordinated’ which caused ‘serious fear and disruption’ to other road users and holidaymakers.
He said the defendants’ actions were ‘fast-moving’ and ‘shocking’ and recounted how witnesses thought it ‘was a terrorist incident’ or a ‘car-jacking’.
The defendants received the following prison sentences:
- Vladamir Stan – three years and three months
- Able Marin – three years and three months
- Florin Stan – three years and three months
- Constantin Stan – four years
- Emanuel-Ronaldo Dumitru – three years and one month
The other officer in the case, DC Charlotte Couch, said: “This is a welcomed result for this investigation. We are committed to taking robust action against offenders in violent disorder cases.
“This case had a significant impact on both the victims and the members of public that were witness to such behaviour, at an airport pick up and drop of point. And we understand the immense fear this incident caused to all involved, with witnesses believing at the time this was an active act of terror.
There was a significant number of resources dispatched to this incident, that responded quickly and efficiently, mitigating further risk and securing the offenders as the earliest opportunity. And a number of detectives involved thereafter.
We hope the convictions secured highlights such violence will not be tolerated and will be taken seriously.”