A teenager knocked a man unconscious and kicked him repeatedly in the head as he lay on the ground following a row in a pizza shop.
Kane Dunstone carried out the violent attack in Durham city centre after he tried to sell drugs to a couple in a takeaway. The couple refused, saying the incident was "embarrassing", which caused Dunstone to take offence and launch an attack on the man. The 19-year-old punched him in the takeaway and was followed outside where he carried on the attack, hitting him to the floor before kicking him three times in the head as he lay knocked-out in the street.
Durham Crown Court heard the man's partner could hear a "sickening thud" as Dunstone brutally kicked into the victim before running away. The teen was later caught by police and admitted what he'd done, saying "adrenaline" took over.
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Dunstone, of Johnson Estate, Wheatley Hill, County Durham, appeared at the court on Wednesday to be sentenced for common assault and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm. He had pleaded guilty to the charges at a previous hearing.
Rebecca Brown, prosecuting, said the attack happened on February 12 this year. The victim and his girlfriend had been on a night out in Durham city centre and had went to a pizza shop towards the end of the night. She said: "While there, the defendant approached them and tried to sell them what appeared to be drugs, which they refused. He waved a bag of white powder in front of them and asked if they were sure because they looked bored. He then moved away but remained in the shop."
The court heard that the victim's partner said the incident as "embarrassing", which Dunstone heard and "became aggressive", saying he was going to "smack" the man. It was then that Dunstone punched him in the face, causing him to "stagger to the floor".
Ms Brown said: "The defendant then ran out of the shop and the man got up and chased after him. Outside, the defendant was seen to punch the man again." The man was hit to the floor and was lying on his back before Dunstone "kicked him three times to the head".
Ms Brown added: "The man's partner described them as full force kicks and he appeared to be unconscious. She described a sickening thud from the kicks and that her partner's head was jolting from the impact." Dunstone then ran away but was soon arrested. In interview he admitted the attack, saying he meant to kick the man to the body but "was angry and the adrenaline was running". The court was told that the man's injuries were "relatively minor" but he was left with concussion.
Robin Turton, defending, said Dunstone had no previous convictions and had provided a letter to the court which "sets out how sorry he is, he's desperately apologetic, and ashamed of his actions". He said: "He is candid about what took place, the complainant chases the defendant outside, the defendant punches him and he falls to the floor and he kicks him three times. Adrenaline took over."
Mr Turton added that Dunstone is "not a bad lad" and that he assists in the care of his unwell mother. He said he is a qualified welder but a car accident left him with a back injury that meant he had to leave his job and had more recently been working in a factory in Bishop Auckland.
Sentencing Dunstone, Judge Jo Kidd said his behaviour that night was "threatening, aggressive and unprovoked" and that he "lost any sense of restraint". He was jailed for 20 months.
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