A MAN who admitted a serious assault is to be assessed for the level of dangerousness he may pose the public before he is sentenced.

But a judge told Peter Bellingham to expect a “significant” custodial term when he returns to Durham Crown Court to be sentenced in July.

The charge arose from a double assault on a man in his 50s who was drinking at the same house as Bellingham, in Trimdon Village, on Monday September 12.

In the apparent unprovoked attack, he was stamped on, punched, and kicked.

Having left the house, the victim went to another address in the village to be cleaned up, but the defendant appeared there, dragged him out into the street, and committed a further assault, leaving the victim lying on the ground badly injured, near St Paul’s Church.

Bellingham, of Ninth Street, Blackhall Colliery, will be sentenced on Friday July 14.

The delay is to allow for a psychiatric assessment of the 27-year-old defendant, following his guilty plea to unlawfully and maliciously causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He admitted the charge at a short plea hearing.

The court was told it his fourth conviction for violence, each being steadily more serious in severity.

Ian Hudson, for Bellingham, asked for the defendant to be remanded into custody, to begin serving his sentence, given the likely outcome.

“It may well be, given the serious nature of the offence, that he faces substantial custody on any view of the case.

“He has three fairly recent convictions for violence and I received a medical opinion, late yesterday afternoon, by a doctor and it may be the court wants to consider that.”

Mr Hudson was asked by Judge Christopher Prince if he thought it necessary for a full psychiatric report.

He replied: “There’s something going on here.

“After the incident he volunteered himself to the police station and made full admissions, so there is remorse being shown.”

Judge Prince said: “I do consider a psychiatric report is necessary and we will allow enough time for it to be followed by a Probation pre-sentence report, as well.

“The dangerousness provisions need to be considered here in both reports.”

Addressing the defendant, and remanding him into custody prior to preparation of those reports, the judge told him: “Obviously you will receive a significant custodial sentence in due course.

“It’s just a case of whether or not the dangerousness provisions apply.”