Five convicted after assault at West Bromwich pub
Matthew Adams, 33, died four days after attack at the Gough Arms
Five people have been convicted following the death of Matthew Adams, who succumbed to his injuries just days after being brutally assaulted inside and outside a West Bromwich pub.
Matthew, 33, had attended a family disco at the Gough Arms on Jowetts Lane with his partner on 19 March 2023.
Shortly after midnight, John Wise, Nichola Stanley, her brother Ryan Stanley, Mark Shorthouse, and a 17-year-old boy entered the pub. According to investigators, derogatory comments were directed at Matthew’s partner, sparking a violent confrontation.
Inside the pub, Matthew was repeatedly punched and kicked in the head and body. During the assault, the teenage defendant reportedly used a floor sign as a weapon.
The attack intensified once Matthew was dragged outside, where he was knocked unconscious for nearly three minutes.
The group fled the scene, leaving Matthew with multiple serious injuries. He returned home in significant pain and attempted to recover, but on 23 March he suffered a cardiac arrest and died in hospital.
Following witness accounts and a review of CCTV footage, all five suspects were arrested and charged.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court, Wise, 43, Shorthouse, 54, Ryan Stanley, 31, and the 17-year-old—who cannot be named for legal reasons—were convicted of murder and violent disorder.
Nichola Stanley, 40, was found guilty of violent disorder.