Reveller who beat man unconscious outside Leeds Railway Station in self defence avoids custody
A man who was punched six times by a drunken thug then beat his attacker unconscious.
Declan Peel admitted a charge of ABH but the judge at Leeds Crown Court recognised that he was the initial victim.
CCTV caught Peel being attacked, then retaliating. However, the footage played to the court showed the man already unconscious when Peel headbutted, punched and kicked him.
Judge Kate Rayfield told him: “There’s no excuse for violence at all and the way you behaved was animalistic.
“The man was plainly unconscious by the time you were delivering those blows. But I take the view that the violence was started by the complainant.
“It started as self defence but it became criminal when the man was no longer offering a threat.”
As a result, she gave 27-year-old Peel a suspended sentence.
Prosecutor Adam Walker played the footage from outside the station, captured at around 3am on November 11 last year.
The intoxicated man was seen walking past Peel, stopping, and turning around to approach him. He then lashes out at Peel, who is seen backing up. The man threw six punches towards the man’s head.
The pair then grappled and fell to the floor. However, the man was clearly unresponsive when Peel headbutted him three times, threw three punches and delivered a kick to his head.
The man was unconscious for around 10 minutes, Mr Walker said, and was taken to hospital.
No mitigation was offered by Peel’s barrister after the judge said she would not jail him.
Instead, Peel, of Ridings Road, Dewsbury, was given a 14-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months.
He was also told he must complete 15 rehabilitation days with probation and 150 hours of unpaid work.