Reveller left man with brain injuries after "one blow" fracas in Preston

A man suffered serious injuries in a 'one punch' attack which caused him to strike his head on a kerb.
The attack happened near EvoqueThe attack happened near Evoque
The attack happened near Evoque

Victim Callum Lester, who was hospitalised for eight days after suffering bruising on the brain, cannot remember the incident, Preston Crown Court was told.

But during a victim impact statement he spoke of suffering nightmares about violence.

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His attacker, Henry Hacking, 19, who had consumed nine lagers and several shots, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm after the attack in an alley near Preston’s Evoque nightclub last July.

Hacking, of Roddlesworth Lane, Withnell, Chorley, must do 200 hours unpaid work.

Judge Robert Altham suspended his 13 month jail term for two years after hearing he was a man of good character and was remorseful.

He said: “I am told you are capable of being a hard working, polite man.

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“What is absolutely clear is in the early hours of July 15 you were anything but, because you have pleaded guilty to the serious offence for which you are now to be sentenced.

“During the course of that night you caused serious injury to your victim by punching him, causing him to fall to the ground and land heavily, causing him really serious injuries to his brain.”

“It’s not at all uncommon for people, when they are the recipient of a single punch, to fall to the ground bang their head - it happens alarmingly frequently. It also happens far less frequently that when a person is a recipient of a single blow, they fall to the ground and hit their head, and they die.

“That is the risk you take with somebody else’s health when you decide unlawfully to punch someone in the face.”

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Referring to Mr Lester’s impact statement he added: “It makes very difficult reading. It’s plainly affected every single aspect of his life.”

David Clarke, prosecuting, said nearby bar staff and members of public saw Mr Lester punched to the ground, and a golf ball sized lump appeared on his head as he lay in a pool of blood.

A scan showed bruising to his brain and a scalp injury.