A MAN man suffered life threatening injuries when he was attacked in Prestatyn High Street.
Mr Sean Roberts struck his head on the ground after he received a single punch and ended up with a brain injury.
Mold Crown Court was told today (THURS) that it had a catastrophic effect on his life.
The attacker, defendant Jordan Cretney, 22, said to have taken alcohol and cannabis, claimed he did not remember what he had done.
Cretney, of Canterbury Drive in Prestatyn, admitted wounding and a separate assault matter on another man on the same night.
He was jailed for 33 months and a ten year restraining order was made under which he is not to have any contact with Mr Roberts or the second victim, Joshua Maher.
Judge Rhys Rowlands, sitting at Mold Crown Court, said that Cretney appeared to have spent much of his time on saturday June 27 drinking and smoking cannabis, such that he now said that he had no recollection of what he had done in the early hours of the following morning.
What was clear is that in that state he attacked two entirely innocent young men, one of whom had suffered a serious brain injury.
It left Mr Roberts with life threatening injuries and life changing consequences,” Judge Rowlands told him.
He and Mr Maher had the misfortune to come across the defendant in his condition and he simply lost his temper for no reason.
The defendant struck Mr Maher when he was minding his own business, he made it clear he did not want trouble but he was pursued across the road and punched in the face.
The defendant then turned his attention to a group involving Mr Roberts and his father – who witnessed what occurred.
Cretney adopted a boxing stance, no doubt proud of what he had just done – and refused to calm down.
He threw a powerful punch that caught Mr Roberts to his head and he fell straight back, hitting his head on the ground.
“It was a completely cowardly drunken assault,” said Judge Rowlands.
Mr Roberts had suffered ongoing consequences.
But for the expertise of the paramedics who arrived at the scene and the staff of Glan Clwyd Hospital and the specialist hospital in Stoke then he could easily have died, he said. The defendant would then be sentenced for manslaughter.
Simon Rogers, prosecuting, said the victim had spent six days in the hospital at Stoke and the injuries had seriously affected his life
Mr Rogers read a victim impact statement to the court in which Mr Roberts said the fact that he survived the attack was due to the skill of the NHS medical staff for which he would be “for ever grateful.”
“However I am a changed man, physically, emotionally and financially,” he said.
The inestimable effect on his health and livelihood now and in the future was a nightmare.
“Every time I look in the mirror I see the physical scar and the indentation of the brain injury on my skull,” he said,
“This will be a constant reminder of the physical trauma I suffered.”
Every day he suffered head aches and balance problems and he reliant on strong pain relief.
“I have the daily fear of a seizure and I am anxious of being alone,” he said.
“My clarity of thought and speech had been affected.”
Mr Roberts told how he could tolerate noise and crowds, he had vivid nightmares, did not sleep and felt constantly tired.
He was previously easy going and relaxed but he was now on edge and anxious.
That has been made worse by his current inability to drive or work as a self employed gas and plumbing engineer.
Andrew Downey, defending, said that it was a single blow with catastrophic effects. His client was genuinely sorry and his only explanation was that his drink had been spiked.
He did not wish to minimise the effects of his action, was very sorry and wished to apologise.
For full story see - http://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/153333/prestayn-man-jailed-after-leaving-victim-with-life-threatening-injuries-after-attack.aspx
