Man jailed over "ferocious" crack cocaine-fuelled baseball bat attack on lifelong pal under secluded M62 motorway bridge

Ross Blair hit his pal at least 20 times and broke several of his bones after driving him to a secluded spot under a motorway.

Alisha Kaye, prosecuting, said 42-year-old Blair, along with his friend and his girlfriend, had been at the defendant's home on Sowgate Lane, Knottingley. on November 7 last year before leaving to go into Pontefract town centre.

Later that day the friend received a call from Blair who accused him of stealing money.

They agreed to meet and Blair picked up the male and female up in a vehicle where the arguing continued.

Ms Kaye said Blair drove them to a secluded location under a bridge below the M62, before Blair pulled out a baseball bat and jabbed his friend in the eye, causing it to bleed.

The victim's father quickly turned up after being called to help them, and the female was able to flee.

Blair began hitting his friend, who stumbled on the road, with full force "at least 20 times", added Ms Kaye.

The victim was only able to get away when another vehicle wanted to get past on the road and Blair was forced to move his own car.

After being taken to hospital, the victim was found to have a broken ankle, finger and a clean break to his arm.

He also needed to wear a leg brace, use crutches and has been left with a scar over his eye.

The court heard the victim had been left unable to work and his mental health had suffered as a result of the attack.

Blair pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and theft of his friend's phone, which had been dropped on the floor during the attack.

The court heard Blair has a history of using heroin and crack cocaine

A probation service report suggested that while Blair admitted full responsibility for the attack, he continues to "struggle in the relationship" with his friend and had no remorse or empathy.

Stephen Welford, mitigating, said Blair now lived an isolated life, adding: "He has no violence on his record. Custody will be a difficult experience for him."

Jailing Blair for 27 months, Judge Simon Batiste said: "This incident was clearly brought about due to the vast amount of crack cocaine you had taken in the days around this offence.

"It can be the only realistic reason why someone of your age would involve themselves in extreme violence.

"You went to meet him and you quickly attacked him. It can only be described as a ferocious attack, hitting him with great power on at least 20 occasions.

"You still, despite what you have done, lack any real remorse or empathy towards him."