A man responsible for a brutal and unprovoked one-punch assault which left a man needing life-saving brain surgery has today been jailed today (7 June).
Liam McConnell, 29, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 27 months in prison at Carlisle Crown Court after he admitted a charge of Section 20 Grievous Bodily Harm.
The court heard how in the early hours of Sunday 14 April 2024, McConnell had travelled in a taxi with another man when they stopped at the corner of George Street leading to Church Street in Whitehaven and got out of the taxi.
Another man, the victim, seeing the taxi stop, stepped towards it thinking he could use it to get home.
Inexplicably, McConnell became aggravated and aggressive at this.
McConnell was heard to say to the man: “What the f--- do you think you’re doing?”
The victim replied that he was “just trying to get home”.
Following this, McConnell assaulted the man with a single punch to the head, knocking the man flat onto his back, his head hitting the concrete floor.
Despite the victim clearly being in need of urgent medical attention, McConnell simply walked away from the scene.
An ambulance was called and the man was rushed to hospital – first West Cumberland Hospital before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where he underwent emergency brain surgery after suffering a subdural haematoma.
Detective Constable Benjamin Agnew said: “This was a completely unprovoked assault which has left the victim with injuries that will impact the rest of his life.
“Time and again we see the life-altering impact that a single punch can have – not just on the victim but the person throwing the punch.”