A father-of-six attacked a victim even after he lay unconscious during a "sickening" assault. Michael Daniels subjected his victim to a "prolonged and persistent" attack in the early hours of May 7 last year in "retaliation" over an earlier incident.
Daniels, 33, of Centurion Row, Castlefields, Runcorn, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday for sentencing. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of Section 20 assault grievous bodily harm (GBH).
Oliver King, prosecuting, said the problem began after the victim had been walking along Church Street in Runcorn town centre past Wetherspoon to withdraw cash from an ATM, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Read more: Man charged with string of sex offences and administering a noxious substance
The victim spotted Daniels who "made a comment" about one of his friends and told him "wait there, you've had it". The victim returned to the pub where he had been drinking only to run into Daniels again while walking for a taxi home.
Daniels began to throw punches, one of which Mr King said hit the other man on the head, causing him to fall on the ground. As the victim attempted to stand up, Daniels delivered a punch and kick to the head which is believed to have knocked him out - after this two more kicks were delivered to the head.
Friends attempted to stop Daniels but he landed three more punches to the victim's head. Mr King said: “The ferocity of the attack is such that one of the males the defendant is with runs towards the defendant and pushes him away from (the victim).”
The group looked as if they struggled with Daniels as they attempted to intervene once again after it became "clear" he wanted to attack again. A passer-by tended to the victim and supported his head. The victim was rushed to Warrington A&E with cuts, swelling, and a broken nose and forearm which required plaster.
In a personal victim statement, the victim stated that he lost eight-weeks worth of income as a joiner due to his arm being in plaster and that he needed another procedure to relieve pressure caused by the broken nose, resulting in a loss in sensation in his teeth.
Daniels was interviewed twice and when shown the footage, he answered "no comment". He proceeded to argue "self defence" in the second interview.
Matthew O'Neill, defending, showed a CCTV clip from minutes before the main attack and said it showed Daniels and the victim arguing and then the "complainant assaults the defendant".
Mr O’Neill said: “It wasn’t an unprovoked assault on the complainant. There had been a retaliation that went over and above and beyond excessive self-defence. He knows his actions thereafter were completely out of order and unnecessary and very dangerous. He accepts that but I felt it important.”
Mr O’Neill said Daniels had a “very troubled upbringing” due to his parents being addicted to heroin and alcohol, meaning they haven’t had contact since he was a baby, while he himself was now the “main breadwinner” for his family as a father-of-six including three step children.
Daniels' previous convictions include assault when he was 13. Mr O'Neill added that Daniels was "remorseful" and a "man who's learned the error of his ways - he has worked full time for the majority of his adult life and has been raising his children his with partner".
Mr King said Daniels had 18 convictions for 28 offences including common assault, drunk and disorderly, burglary and dishonesty, with the most recent for theft. He highlighted that the assault on the victim was “prolonged and persistent”.
Judge Thompson said: "People were trying to protect him, to calm you down. There was no calming you down. I counted five further blows to his face - a man lying effectively unconscious on the floor, at that stage extremely vulnerable. You had completely lost all sense of restraint, you had completely lost your temper.
“It was a horrible attack and you are very fortunate not to be standing here facing a case far more serious than this.”
The judge added the attack inflicted “unpleasant” injuries and took place while in drink, in a public place and involving a victim on the ground and “vulnerable”, also aggravated by Daniels’s previous convictions.
Judge Thompson said: “The offence was committed in a public place in Runcorn town centre and people who live in Runcorn, people who live in other areas, are sick and tired of seeing these sickening violent incidents in town centres.”
The defendant must also pay a £156 victim surcharge.
Read next:
- 'You broke my heart, mate… I’m gonna kill you': Pathetic thug and his brother SPARED jail after horror attacks on ex
- Snow latest as Met Office warnings in place across UK today - weather and traffic updates
- Jealous thug battered girlfriend while she was babysitting his sister's two-year-old child
- Driver 'abandons car' after getting stuck in Deansgate traffic in three-hour nightmare
- Inside the tiny terrace that's one of Greater Manchester's cheapest homes - but it can't fit a proper bedroom
