Two thugs who got drunk on the day they appeared in court charged with a violent armed confrontation left a man suffering serious injuries when they kicked his head like a football.
Sean Carroll and Jamie Hunt attacked the man, punching and kicking to the ground, as they walked through Middlesbrough town centre on March 13 this year.
The brutal attack resulted in the man having part of his skull removed to ease the swelling of his brain after he was repeatedly kicked to the head with such ferocity that he was left with a trainer print on his forehead.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the pair has spent the day drinking after appearing at the same court charged with affray and violent disorder after they became embroiled in a fight with Mark Nicholson.
Ellen Wright, prosecuting, said Hunt had armed himself with a hammer while Nicholson was wielding a golf club during the fight on Burke Place, Hartlepool, on July 17 last year.
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Carroll and another woman were involved in a verbal altercation when police arrived on the scene.
Dealing with the attack in Middlesbrough town centre, Miss Wright said: “The victim cannot remember anything about the incident due a brain injury that took place.”
The victim’s partner told police how he was kicked in the head while sitting on the floor stunned.
Miss Wright said: “One defendant, it’s not clear who, jumped in the air and fly-kicked him to the temple. He said nothing, did nothing and made no effort to fight back during the incident.”
An eye witness had described the men kicking their victim’s head like a football.
Carroll, of Firby Close, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm from that incident and using threatening behaviour, insulting words with intent to cause fear and provoking violence during the earlier incident.
The 33-year-old also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis from August 26, 2021; threatening to damage property from August 18 last year; and fraud from October 4, 2021.
His co-accused, Hunt, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm from that incident from the Middlesbrough attack.
The 30-year-old, of Jameson Road, Hartlepool, was also convicted of affray and possession of an offensive weapon from the July 2021 incident.
While Nicholson, 38, of Frederick Street, Seaham, pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon after brandishing the golf club during the fight with Hunt.
Judge Howard Crowson jailed Carroll for four years for all offences; Hunt for three years and nine months; and passed a nine-month sentence, suspended for 12 months for Nicholson and ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
Addressing the Carroll and Hunt in relation to the GBH offence, he said: “You had that day appeared in this court in relation to the public order offence and you appeared to celebrate by drinking far too much in town.”
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