A thug carried out a vicious stamping attack on a man outside of a pub and left him with a fractured skull after he asked for a bottle opener.
Liam Quinin, 26, and two accomplices launched an unprovoked attack on a man outside The Moorcock pub in Peterlee after he asked for a bottle opener. The victim was set upon by Quinin and two others who punched him to the ground before stamping on him on July 4, last year. The attack - which Quinin considered filming on his mobile phone - left the man with a fractured skull and other serious injuries.
Quinin, of Fourth Street, Horden, dropped his phone during the incident and he was arrested after he went to a police station to pick it up and encountered the victim - who was in the waiting room. He then became aggressive to police and ended up kicking one officer as they attempted to restrain him.
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Quinin appeared at Durham Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assaulting an emergency worker. He had pleaded guilty to the charges.
The court heard Quinin and two others were outside The Moorcock when they were approached by a man who had been drinking and was carrying a carrier bag of bottled beer. But when he asked the group for a bottle opener, violence erupted. Quinin refused, instead saying he would "take them off him", before the man was punched to the ground. Quinin and his two accomplices began "kicking and stamping" on the man.
The court heard that Quinin "proposed to film the attack by taking out his mobile phone", as the victim lay on the floor and was "unable to defend himself". The victim lost consciousness during the attack and sustained a fracture to his forehead bone and "bleeding to his eyes".
When police arrived at the scene, Quinin had left his phone behind and the victim was taken to the police station. But whilst the man was in the waiting room, Quinin entered the station in order to pick up his mobile. The victim then identified Quinin as his attacker and he was arrested.
The court heard that upon arrest, Quinin claimed to have taken "several tablets" as he had been attempting suicide and so he was taken to hospital in a police van. But during the journey, he began "banging his head off the cage" and turned aggressive, making threats to the officers. He kicked one officer in the face as he was being restrained and made "homophobic remarks". The court was told he had 14 previous convictions for 25 offences, including three for violence.
Brian Mark, defending, asked the judge to defer the sentencing and said Quinin had a difficult upbringing and has experienced "homelessness for some time". He said: "He is now getting psychological treatment and he is soon to start employment. He also now has accommodation, which he would lose if he went into custody. He is showing signs of turning his life around, this is his opportunity. If he is cast into custody today, he may not be able to turn his life around." Mr Mark added: "Through me, he says what he did was disgusting."
Judge James Adkin jailed Quinin for 26 months.
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