Kane Hutchison, nicknamed the ‘Beast of Bensham’, assaulted the man who made remarks about his convictions for sex offences

A disgraced former football coach and sex offender knocked out a man who mocked his convictions on a nightclub dancefloor, a court heard.

Kane Hutchison, originally from Gateshead, was jailed for four years in 2015 after a jury found him guilty of targeting two teenage boys over the internet and inciting them into sexual activity online.

The 31-year-old, nicknamed the ‘Beast of Bensham’, was already in custody when he stood trial after being sentenced to three years for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy who he had offered to take to watch a football match.

He was released from prison in December 2017, but put back behind bars the next year for breaching the terms of his licence.

Now living in Leeds, Hutchison is in court again after punching a man to the floor in the city’s Tunnel nightclub.

LeedsLive reports that the victim and his group of friends had made remarks about Hutchison’s previous convictions.

Hutchison’s pal Jason Burd then attacked the victim and his friend after they were all kicked out of the nightclub.

Hutchison and Burd, 28, were handed suspended sentences this week at Leeds Crown Court after pleading guilty to a number of offences.

Both groups were kicked out of the club but there was another confrontation outside.

The court was shown CCTV footage of Hutchison’s friend Jason Burd attacking the first victim and his friend and Hutchison joining in.

The first victim suffered bruising to both eyes and his nose and a cut to his head and the second victim suffered a fracture to the middle finger on his right hand.

The court was told Hutchison later apologised to the victims in person and via text and offered to pay them compensation.

In statements, the victims described being afraid to leave their homes after the incident.

Hutchison, of Savoy Court, Bradford Road, Pudsey, Leeds, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.

He has 13 previous convictions, most of which are for breaches of football banning orders.

He also has previous convictions for sexual offences, including for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy and inciting other underage boys into sexual activity.

The former football coach used his victims’ love of football to groom them, ChronicleLive reported.

Speaking about Hutchison’s attack inside the nightclub, probation officer Eme Musgrove said: “The other group were calling him names in regard to his previous convictions but he has heard [that type of abuse] before so does not know why he reacted that way on this occasion.”

Rukhshanda Hussain, mitigating for Hutchison, said her client believed a punch had been thrown as well as the insults.

She said he was just trying to ‘have his co-defendant’s back’ during the confrontation outside the nightclub but then de-escalated the situation.

She said his apology showed “maturity and contrition”.

The barrister also said Hutchison was born and raised in Gateshead but moved to Leeds to escape “negative influences” and abuse he was getting.

She said he has stopped going out since the incident and will soon be in stable employment and settled accommodation.

Burd, of Manderston Chase, Armley, Leeds, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Hutchison was handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 200 hours of unpaid work.

Burd was handed a 13-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work.

They were both ordered to pay £500 compensation to the first victim and £500 towards prosecution costs.

Burd was also ordered to pay £750 to the second victim.

The Chronicle

His previous conviction can be found here