'Brutal, drunken thug' jailed after attacks at Leicester taxi rankA "brutal, drunken thug" who punched a man unconscious and kicked him in the face has been jailed for eight years.
Chay Carter (21) also head-butted another man and punched a woman on the same night.
The unprovoked attacks happened at a taxi rank in St Nicholas Circle, Leicester, at 4.30am on December 21.
Craig England, 31, suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and facial injuries.
He still suffers short-term memory loss, headaches and mood swings and is unfit to drive.
Leicester Crown Court was told Mr England, of Hinckley, did not want to attend Carter's sentencing, but his mother and uncle were present.
Speaking after the hearing, Elaine England, 55, of Hinckley, said: "What happened to my son was terrible.
"He went out for an evening with his girlfriend and the next thing I know he's seriously injured in hospital.
"Our family Christmas was so awful I can't even remember it."
Mr England discharged himself early from hospital on Christmas Day to be with his family and see his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter – who was distressed to see him injured, the court was told.
His uncle, Carl England, 47, of Hinckley, said: "It was dreadful when we were told at hospital to prepare for the worst, because we could lose Craig.
"The judge said it was a miracle he survived.
"Craig has tried to block it out and is trying to get back to normal."
Carter, of Dovedale Road, Thurmaston, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, causing actual bodily harm to another customer and common assault on a female taxi rank employee.
Sentencing, Judge Simon Hammond said: "This was alcohol-fuelled gratuitous violence.
"It was a sustained attack on a man lying unconscious and defenceless on the ground.
"Booting people in the head can be fatal and it's a miracle he wasn't killed."
He described Carter as a "brutal, drunken thug".
Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said Carter was in an aggressive mood when he joined the taxi queue.
He ended up banging on windows of the taxi office and several cabs, before knocking a clipboard out of a female employee's hand.
Mr England, described as "perfectly innocent", stepped forwards as a peacemaker, but was head-butted and punched two or three times.
A doorman across the road who witnessed the attack said he was sickened when he saw the defendant kicking the unconscious man on the ground.
Mr England's partner tried to drag him off and others intervened.
Carter then went into the taxi office, where he twice head-butted a customer, causing bruising, a black eye and a chipped tooth.
He turned on a female employee and punched her in the ear.
Mr Murphy said Carter ran off when police arrived. He was found in a yard, covered in blood.
David Charman, mitigating, said Carter, a building apprentice at the city council, had no previous convictions.
He was unused to heavy drinking, acted out character and was "remorseful".
Read more:
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/B ... z2RHKxcasU
Login
Register
FAQ
