Four jailed after brutal town centre attack left victim with 10% survival chance

Chas Finch, aged 20, Callum McManus, 19, Ryan Perry, 20, and Sam Wright, also 20, appeared before Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday.

The court heard how their victim, Jason Humpries, was punched, kicked and stamped on in Bradford Street in Walsall town centre on July 5 last year when the defendants were out to celebrate McManus' birthday.

The assault was said to have started after Finch passed comment on the jumpers being worn by Mr Humphries and a friend.

CCTV evidence shown to the court revealed the men walk past the victim and the friend before the attack in the early hours of the morning.

The victim's friend later ran off leaving him surrounded by 'a group of young men' and later 'motionless' on the ground.

In a doctor's statement read to the court, it was revealed that only one in 10 victims survive the first two weeks following an attack of this nature.

The court heard how Mr Humphries victim still suffers with bad headaches, double vision in his left eye, mood swings and has been left with a scar on his head.

In a statement read to the court, he said: "I feel that my life has been taken away from me. I offered no threat to the people who assaulted me."

The court also heard the victim - who was described as the 'most inoffensive man' - was being cared for by his parents and had left his partner and children's home due to the effects of his injuries.

Judge Robin Onions sentenced Perry, of Ash Road, Wednesbury, to three years and two months for inflicting grievous bodily harm, with an additional four months for breaching a previous court order.

Wright, of Park Lane, Wednesbury, and McManus, of Richard Street, Darlaston, were handed three year sentences for the same offence, while Finch, Old Park Road, Wednesbury, was sentenced to 14 months for affray.

They will serve half of their time in a young offenders' institute and the rest on licence.

Judge Onions said: "A message must go out to those that drink too much and involve themselves in violence. They take their futures away and the futures of their victims.

"I saw the CCTV and photos of you in a club that night and you should have gone home and gone to bed.

"It was to the misfortune of the victim. He was left surrounded by a pack of young men- one of you hit him.

"I do not know who made the first blow - but this was probably the disabling blow that made him go down and it is then that he likely hit his head.

"He was punched, kicked and stamped on. It wasn't a planned attack."

It was noted in court that McManus had stopped to put the victim in the recovery position following the attack.

The court also heard how Perry had posted on Facebook about the incident, which had upset the victim and his family.

Judge Onions added: "I do not except any remorse from Perry."

Kevin Saunders, defending McManus, said it was accepted that it was a "pack dog, group attack".