Thugs kicked man's head "like a football" then stole his motorbike in park attack

Stuart Bellwood, 21, and Harry White, 19, launched the unprovoked attack on the man as he sat in Smawthorne Park in Castleford.

Leeds Crown Court heard the victim had been sat talking to another friend in the park on June 24, 2019, when the two defendants approached them.

Chloe Fairley, prosecuting, said White knew the victim as he had been in a relationship with White's aunt.

Miss Fairley said that "out of the blue", White started hitting the victim and shouting "this is for my aunt".

Someone was then heard to shout "get his keys" as they began kicking him in the head.

The man later described the attackers as kicking the victim's head "like a football".

The victim was taken to hospital where he suffered cuts and bruising to his face.

When White was arrested, he told police he had problems with his memory but denied being involved in the attack.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and taking a vehicle without consent.

The court was told that Bellwood, of Borrowdale Drive, Castleford, has over 20 convictions for 52 offences, including multiple thefts and assault.

Andrea Parnham, mitigating for Bellwood, said he had an "unattractive record for a man so young" which she says stemmed from an unstable childhood in which he was moved to various homes.

She added: "His issues are with alcohol. When sober, he is an affable young man, but when he drinks, it does him no favours at all."

Ms Parnham said he now has a partner and a young son and is keen to move on with his life after his jail term ends.

He is already in custody serving time for another offence.

White admitted in interview that he should have walked away from the situation.

He has three previous convictions for four offences, including a serious assault.

Rukhshanda Hussain, for White, told the court: "There was a history of issues between the defendant and complainant. There's no excuse whatsoever for his behaviour but he acted out of frustration."

Ms Hussain said White is determined to get onto the "straight and narrow" and has a job waiting for him upon release from custody.

Judge Christopher Batty described it an "absolutely awful assault".

Judge Batty was due to sentence the pair last week but adjourned the hearing to consider the sentence.

He told White: "Your case has caused me all manner of issues in terms of the right thing to do.

"I won't send you to custody, the reason is that you are at a point that you have behaved like a childish fool enough times.

"But you have realised that, and have taken steps to put things right."

White was given a ten-month jail term, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to the victim.

Bellwood was given eight months' jail, to run concurrently with the sentence he is serving.