A man viciously attacked his former best friend and left him with a bleed on the brain after becoming enraged at a text message.
Kieran Richardson, 27, punched the man in the back of the head before kicking and stamping on him as he lay on the floor after becoming aware of a text conversation between his ex-girlfriend and the victim. The attack left the man with injuries including bleeding on the brain and a skull fracture. His lasting physical issues mean he may not be able to work for up to five years.
Richardson, of Kirkstone Place, Newton Aycliffe, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Tuesday to be sentenced for causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He pleaded guilty to the charge at the hearing.
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Sam Faulks, prosecuting, said Richardson and the victim had been best friends since school, but their close friendship soured due to an "issue of loyalty". He said the attack happened on February 19, last year, when Richardson and the victim were at a home. He said: "The defendant was sent a screenshot of an old text conversation between the defendant's ex-partner and the victim. There came a point when the defendant, the victim and a female witness left the property to probably get more drink. The victim had been drinking when he felt a blow to the back of the head and fell to the ground with blood running down.
"He became aware the defendant was punching and kicking him to the head, he believes he was punched 25 times. The witness said the defendant punched him twice to the face before three to four kicks were delivered to the head and face. The victim recalls being stamped on."
The court heard that the witness soon intervened and called for an ambulance. The victim was first taken to Darlington Hospital, before being transferred to Durham Hospital, and then lastly being taken to Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary. Mr Faulks said the man sustained bruising and swelling around the eyes and was bleeding from the ear. He told the court that a CT scan found the man had "bleeding on the brain" and a fracture to the back of the skull.
Mr Faulks said that when Richardson was arrested, he told officers he believed he had killed the man, due to the severity of the attack. The court was told Richardson had one previous conviction dating back to 2020 for common assault and received a fine.
In a victim statement, the man said he still suffers "physically and mentally on a daily basis" and has had two or three seizures since the attack. He said he cannot work for up to "two to five years" due to physical issues, meaning he has had to resort to using food banks due to the financial strain. He added: "A large part of me has been taken away".
Shaun Dryden, defending, said Richardson does not have an "extensive criminal record" and said he had entered an early guilty plea. He said: "He was a working man and comes from a good family. He has no rational explanation as to why he behaved like that on this particular night. It was a momentary, but serious loss of control. He received a message involving his ex-partner and it appeared she may have been unfaithful. There was a sense of betrayal."
Mr Dryden added: "He realised what he had done and potentially how serious it was. He is genuinely remorseful and regretful."
Judge James Adkin, the Recorder of Durham, jailed Richardson for 54 months.
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