A thug who left his step brother "close to death" after a row over their dad's ashes descended into brutal violence has been jailed for life.
Peter Hogg viciously slammed his unconscious victim's head against the pavement in a sickening attack, having already rained down dozens of ferocious blows upon him and continued to punch him in the face even after he had been knocked out. The relative was left fighting for his life and is still in hospital more than eight months later.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Friday, that the incident in the early hours of December 2 last year was captured on CCTV footage. It showed Hogg, of Haggerston Road in Walton, repeatedly punching Phillip Williams to the head in the street after an argument erupted over where the ashes of the complainant's late father should be placed.
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Once rendered unconscious, the 43-year-old "slammed his head against the pavement" twice. Gareth Roberts, prosecuting, described how the footage captured him hitting Mr Williams a total of 33 times - including at least nine strikes while he was knocked out on the floor.
Police were called to the scene and found Hogg upstairs in his bedroom, "forming the impression he was drunk". When officers attempted to detain him, he called the officers "pigs", "f***ing pieces of s***" and "f***ing f*****s".
The defendant kicked out at the chest of one PC and shouted a racial slur at another. Hogg continued resisting after they had used PAVA spray on him, after which he shouted out for his wife and told her to film his arrest.
Mr Williams meanwhile was rushed to the Walton Centre having suffered swelling to the brain, fractured cheekbones, a broken nose and a laceration to the back of the head. He was placed in an induced coma and put on an incubator, but his condition deteriorated and he had to undergo emergency surgery to relieve intracranial pressure
This operation involved the full removal of the frontal bone in his skull. Mr Williams remains in hospital to this day in a serious but stable condition on a rehabilitation ward.
Consultants report that the dad is "minimally conscious" and that they "do not know what the extent of his cognitive ability is", while it is "more than likely he will have lifelong disabilities". He is described as showing "inconsistent responses to simple questions" and "not being able to open his eyes spontaneously" while he is "completely reliant on staff for his day to day needs" having made "limited progress" in his recovery.
A statement was read out to the court on behalf of Mr Williams' family and recalled the moment they first saw their critically-injured loved one lying in a hospital bed. They said: "Nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to witness.
"My brother was unrecognisable to all of us and it became apparently that he may not survive, and even if he did his life would never be the same again. We were all numb from the shock.
"We continue to dread every phone call, because we fear it could be more bad news. There were scares we feared Phillip would never survive.
"Phillip was a wonderful brother, son and friend to many. His injuries are so severe that we have not been able to absorb what has happened to us all - when we saw him beaten close to death, it changed us forever."
They say he will "never fully recover" and "requires constant care because someone couldn't control their temper". The family also described how, before the assault, Mr Williams had repainted the ceiling of the church where his dad's funeral was held free of charge in gratitude for the service.
Their statement added: "This is why he has many friends. Phillip was fit and healthy until this unlawful act changed his life.
"Phillip's progress, if any, will be long and slow. We have all been left feeling powerless and shocked due to the brutal attack on our family member."
Mr Williams' family also described him as the "best dad" and said he had been "beaten within an inch of his life". His assailant has a total of three previous convictions - including one for an offence of drunk and disorderly behaviour, as well as receiving a community order for battery and threatening behaviour in 2001 after punching a paramedic.
Hogg was then jailed for eight years in 2008 after being convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and battery. This came after he attacked a man with an industrial drill "in a jealous rage", leaving him with a broken arm and head injuries.
Tom Watson, defending, told the court: "Can I publicly recognise the ongoing suffering to Phillip Williams and the consequent impact brought to bear upon his family? Paul Hogg must live always with the knowledge his actions brought this about.
"Understandably, members of his family wish to say a few words about this man. They paint a picture of a man very different to the one who committed this dreadful offence, this brutal attack.
"Following his release from prison in 2011, your honour can see the pattern his life had taken since that time - study, qualifications, the work ethic, the dedication to his family. All of that is very real.
"It also shows a man who is more than capable of staying out of trouble and being a productive member of the community. In this instance, his temper produced the most dreadful consequences for his victim.
"Drink clearly played a part - that is no excuse, but it may provide some explanation. The signs are that he will treat this significant sentence he is about to receive as positive and constructively as he is able to do."
Hogg was cleared of attempted murder following a trial but found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent having previously admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent, assaulting an emergency services worker and racially-aggravated harassment. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse wearing a suit and tie, he was handed a life imprisonment with a minimum term of 12 years.
Sentencing, Judge David Aubrey KC said: "It would appear there was a dispute in the family as to where the victim's father's ashes would be placed. Both of you had been drinking heavily.
"It is accepted that it was the victim who threw the first punch. I am satisfied that it was only one punch he threw.
"After that first punch, he offered no violence or threat to you whatsoever. What then happened was you perpetuated a brutal, prolonged and sustained attack on him.
"You were by far the bigger man, and after he had punched you you responded swiftly and he was rapidly rendered unconscious. There then followed what I can only describe as the most vicious, frenzied attack by fists alone that I have ever seen, whether at the bar or on the bench.
"You simply treated him as a punchbag. You pummelled him.
"Not satisfied with that which you had done, you dragged him further up the road and slammed his head against the ground before punching him one last time - as if in victory. Even after that, and notwithstanding the fact that your partner had sought to restrain you, you were prowling around, pointing to your victim in an aggressive manner.
"He was lying unconscious and bleeding in the road. When the police arrived, you were still up for it.
"All of this while your victim was on the ground unconscious and, I'm satisfied, close to death. The photographs of his face show that he was battered mercifully.
"This may have been a spontaneous attack, but in the judgement of this court it was brutal in the extreme. It was also prolonged and persistent and perpetuated by you, a powerful man, against a man who you continued to beat and slam against the ground while he was unconscious.
"The injuries sustained to him, I have no doubt, were life-threatening. While your victim is making some limited progress in his recovery, it is extremely likely that there will be a lifelong dependency on others.
"The court has received a poignant victim person statement on behalf of the victim's family, a closely knit family. On a number of occasions, they feared that they would receive a call to say he would not survive his injuries.
"It is highly unlikely he will ever fully recover. So it is, the family continue to suffer.
"The court has been provided with numerous references supplied on your behalf. You have been described as a kind-hearted person, a complete gentleman - but the events of this night and your previous convictions would suggest otherwise.
"If that is how those who have written on your behalf perceive you, the violence you have perpetuated proves how unpredictable you are and prone to erupting. It is apparent you are a hard-working family man and a step-father to four children.
"Your brother states that this incident is totally out of character. Regrettably, that is not so.
"I accept that the loss from your family will be heart rending and that there is now a void in your family in consequence of your incarceration. That also of course applies to those who love your step brother.
"I have no hesitation in finding that you represent a significant risk to causing serious harm to members of the public by the commission of further specified offences in future and that a determinate sentence is not sufficient protection for the public. You are, I regret to say, a volatile person.
"On the night in question, you erupted like a volcano after the red mist had descended. You have done so on a previous occasion, and in my judgement you are extremely likely to explode at any given moment.
"You are unable or unwilling to contain your anger and temper, especially in drink. In my judgement, the seriousness of the offence justifies a sentence of life imprisonment."
Merseyside Police have welcomed the sentence handed to Hogg. Detective Constable Joe Butterfield said: "This was a vicious assault that has sadly resulted in long-term injuries for the victim.
"The aggression and violence carried out by Hogg during this attack was truly shocking. We hope Hogg’s sentencing today gets the message out there that we will not tolerate such violence on our streets.
"If you witness any similar assaults or incidents, please contact police so we can continue to prevent such attacks."
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