Thug jailed for punching defenceless man unconscious in Wakefield city centre
A thug ran across a road to knock a man unconscious, despite the victim raising his hands to suggest he was not looking for trouble.
He was left with in a heap on the floor and with a bleed on the brain because of the single punch thrown by Michael Brown.
Brown, who has more than 40 convictions including multiple violent and robbery offences, was handed a new jail sentence at Leeds Crown Court this week.
The police had been called to Carter Street in Wakefield, just off Westgate in the city centre, at around 10pm on Saturday, February 28.
The victim had been found bleeding heavily from his head. Officers gave him first aid until paramedics arrived.
He was later found to have a fractured cheekbone and a bleed to his brain.
CCTV picked up the attack which showed 36-year-old Brown running across Westgate towards the man who was walking along Carter Street.
The victim turned around to see Brown coming towards him. He put his hands up, showing his palms to suggest he did not want to fight.
But Brown lunged at him, striking him to the head and knocking him to the ground, prosecutor Zanisha Herbert told the court.
He later said he did not know Brown, who was arrested nearby.
Brown, of no fixed address, then purposely urinated in two police cells at the station. During his interview, he denied the assault.
He later admitted Section GBH without intent and two counts of criminal damage.
Brown had been jailed for 40 months in 2024 for a knifepoint robbery at a Wakefield petrol station.
Appearing in court this week over a video link from HMP Leeds, following his latest arrest he was recalled on his previous sentence, and will not be released until July next year.
Mitigating for his latest offences, Lucy Brown said he had entered guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity, but accepted that further custody was inevitable.
She said he had ADHD, was on anti-psychotic medication and had a “tendency towards impulsivity”.
She added that Brown claimed he had “negative attention” from the victim earlier on in the night, but then “acted disproportionately”.
She also added that he had shown remorse and concern for the injuries caused.
Judge Tahir Khan KC told Brown that the victim “did not want to get involved” and was attacked for his troubles.
He jailed him for 14 months.