Black Country thug left friend for dead after assault

John Freer was found in the nick of time by a passing police officer – otherwise the consequences could have been 'catastrophic', a judge said.

The 55-year-old victim had been choking while lying unconscious on waste ground when help arrived after his 'friend' Glyn Evans repeatedly stamped on his head, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The pair had been on a drinking spree together when violence flared outside The Angel pub in Wednesfield High Street around 11pm on April 18 last year, explained Mr John Evans, prosecuting.

Mr Freer tried to defuse the situation but was knocked to the ground and brutally assaulted by 33-year-old Evans, who has a history of violence, the court heard.

CCTV film showed the attacker helping the victim to his feet and walking off with him before abandoning the man and running away, explained Mr Evans. Mr Freer was later found collapsed on waste ground near Wednesfield Police Station, the court heard.

Mr Evans, prosecuting, said: "He was choking and in a state very close to death. He had been kicked by the defendant who then stamped on his head up to four times,"

The victim suffered a double fracture of the jaw and a fractured right cheek bone in the attack. He spent several days in intensive care before being discharged from hospital a month later, but has since made a good recovery and still regards the thug who beat him up as a friend, it was said.

Mr Simon Hanns, defending, said: "This is a difficult and sad case. The two men had been out together, as they had before. They were an odd couple who had been drinking to excess.

"There was no premeditation. While they were out together there were a number of minor arguments. The explanation given by the defendant for the sustained assault was that Mr Freer had made an unfortunate comment about his mother but, even if true, that would not excuse the level of violence."

Glyn Evans, an epileptic from no fixed address with previous convictions for assault and robbery, was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent by a jury after denying the offence at an earlier trials.

He was sent to prison by Judge Martin Walsh who told told him: "You launched a protracted, violent assault on a man with whom you had spent the afternoon and evening drinking. There has been no adequate explanation for this spontaneous act."