A drunken row between two men resulted in one laid unconscious on the ground suffering from a fractured skull after being hit with a forceful blow to the head.

James Kerfoot punched his victim after the dispute in the early hours of the morning when the pair bumped into each other making their way home from bars in Northallerton.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the victim was rendered unconscious for 24 hours as a result of the assault and had lost thousands of pounds in earnings after being unable to work for several months.

Andrew Findlay, prosecuting, said a bar worker saw the violent incident unfold after hearing the pair arguing before the 35-year-old defendant threw a devastating punch.

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“He fell to the floor with nose pouring with blood,” he said. “He was unconscious, he was flat on the ground and his leg was shaking.

“The defendant stood over him looking like he was going to have a go again. The witness intervened and got hold of the defendant and got a friend to call the police.”

Mr Findlay said the attack on December 18, 2021, had left the victim with a bleed on the brain and was still suffering from the long-term impact of the assault and had caused more than £1,500 worth of damage to clothes he was wearing on the night.

In a victim impact statement, the man said he had lost 23 weeks of work as a result of the attack and still suffers from headaches due to his fractured skull and bleed to the brain.

Kerfoot, of Stonegate Court, Northallerton, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm following the assault on the town’s High Street.

John Nixon, mitigating, said his client was a hardworking father-of-three and accepts full responsibility for his actions.

“There was a confrontation between the two men, he was heard to say - ‘Gilly stop’,” he said. “It is a case where he acted on impulse.

“He made no attempt to leave and admitted he was responsible. He doesn’t blame the complainant in any way for what happened and accepts it was him who lost control.”

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Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Kerfoot to 12 months in prison suspended for 12 months to ensure the defendant was able to pay a significant amount in compensation.

He said: “This incident was witnessed by an entirely sober bar worker from the bar where you had been drinking as he recognised you.

“This was one clenched fist punch to the left side of his face – it must have been a strong blow as he was unconscious before he hit the ground, according to the witness.”

Kerfoot was ordered to pay £5,000 compensation, attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.