Man stamped on friend's head until it caved in (From Warrington Guardian)

Man stamped on friend's head until it caved in

2:35pm Monday 8th February 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(4)

A MAN will spend more than five years in prison after stamping on a friend’s head until he felt it ‘cave in’.

Birchwood resident Greg Taylor pleaded guilty to the ‘appalling’ attack that left his victim ‘almost dead’.

Chester Crown Court heard on Friday how Taylor, aged 21, got into an argument with Kevin Henderson and attacked him, putting him in hospital for three months.

The defendant was at his home address at 120 Manchester Road with Kevin and others last summer drinking and taking sleeping tablets.

Taylor, who had been drinking for three days according to prosecution barrister Peter Frost, was asleep when a drunk Kevin set fire to a book on August 6.

Awaking to a fire and the news emergency services were on the way, Taylor challenged Karl, who laughed at him, the court heard.

Taylor reacted by elbowing his victim, knocking him unconscious.

He then proceeded to punch 42-year-old Kevin four times in the face before jumping and stamping on his head.

Taylor, who has previous convictions for ABH and possessing an offensive weapon, told officers during his police interview he felt Kevin’s face ‘cave in’.

The defendant then grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed a prostrate Kevin in the leg and calf.

Fire officers arrived on the ‘chaotic’ scene to find Kevin unconscious on the living room floor bleeding from the leg and abdomen.

He was later found to be in a coma having suffered serious head injuries, a smashed jaw and two stab wounds. Doctors rated the severity of his coma as a 3, or ‘brain dead’. Kevin has since begun to recover but cannot walk, talk or sleep properly.

Taylor was bailed after the attack and five days later robbed a taxi driver at a town centre ATM with a screwdriver.

He later handed himself in to police.

Defending, Simon Berkson said that Taylor was provoked by the start of a fire in his home, but felt an ‘all-consuming guilt’ about the attack.

Judge David Hale, however, said provocation was ‘extremely limited’.

“You went mad and kicked the victim mercilessly even though his face was caving in,” he said.

“This has had a devastating impact on his life with permanent consequences and there is no doubt you are dangerous.”

DI Dougie Shaw said: “The sentence is a really good result. Taylor is clearly a danger to the public and I am glad that he is off the streets