The victim was left lying unconscious and ‘motionless’ on the street
Logan Preston appeared at Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
A vulnerable 69-year-old man was viciously knocked to the ground – and suffered bleeding on the brain and a broken jaw – in a nasty unprovoked attack late at night. The unsuspecting victim was heading along a street with the aid of a walking frame when he was suddenly punched on the chin by a heavy-drinking troublemaker.
The man fell and banged his head on the ground, leaving him unconscious and “motionless”. He later needed 24-hour care in a home because of the serious consequences of the assault.
Logan Preston confronted and punched the victim just minutes after his girlfriend told him about unsavoury stalking allegations apparently involving the man, Hull Crown Court heard. Preston, 23, of Agar Crescent, Howden, admitted an offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm on the man on June 21 last year.
Poppy Walker, prosecuting, said that Preston and his girlfriend had been drinking with friends in Howden. They were walking home in Station Road at about 11.15pm when, as they reached Agar Crescent, they saw a man walking along, with the help of a walking frame.
The woman recognised him and she thought that he had supposedly been stalking her best friend’s sister earlier that day. Preston spoke to the man but his girlfriend grabbed him.
She crouched behind a car and told Preston about the supposed stalking. Preston became angry and his girlfriend tried to hold him back but he broke free from her grip and challenged the man about the claims of stalking.
There was an argument and the man tried to walk away but Preston continued to shout. The man grabbed both of Preston’s wrists but the defendant punched him once on the chin, causing him to fall to the ground and bang his head.
The victim was left unconscious and there was blood coming from his left ear. Preston and his girlfriend walked away.
“It was a short-lived assault, that being one punch to the chin,” said Miss Walker. “He was vulnerable due to his age and prior health difficulties.”
A teenage witness called an ambulance because the victim was lying motionless on the ground. An ambulance arrived after 35 minutes. The man had regained consciousness by this point but he was screaming out in pain. He suffered bleeding on his brain and a fracture to part of his left jaw bone.
He did not need surgery but he was advised to eat soft food for six weeks. There was a softening and loss of brain tissue and he suffered blood clots and a blockage to part of his left lung.
He had reduced movement in his right shoulder and his memory and moods were affected. Although he had pre-existing conditions, he now needed 24-hour care in a care home.
Hannah Turner, mitigating, said it was clear that the victim was vulnerable because of his age and Preston would have been very well aware of this, having seen him earlier with a walking frame. “It was a short-lived and spontaneous assault,” said Miss Turner.
Preston had been drinking that night. He had no previous convictions. “He has not found himself troubling these courts or services at all,” said Miss Turner.
There were references for him and these showed that he was driven, passionate, kind and a devoted father – a “stark difference” to what was shown in the offence. He had a very supportive family.
Judge Gurdial Singh told the court: “He attacked an OAP, who walked with a stick.” Preston was given a two-year suspended prison sentence, 200 hours’ unpaid work, six months’ alcohol treatment and 10 days’ rehabilitation.
He was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation, £150 costs and a £187 victims’ surcharge.
Did you know you can make Hull Live a preferred source of Hull news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here’s more information about what this means and how to do it – you can also do it straight away by clicking here .