Drunken thug left two unconscious in pools of blood after town centre attack

One of the victims suffered life-threatening bleeds to the brain after Christopher North-Allen targeted the group of men for no apparent reason.

The horrific attack was caught on CCTV and showed North-Allen walking away from the two unconscious men laughing and smiling, prosecutor Danielle Graham told Leeds Crown Court.

North-Allen, who has a long history of violence, was among a group of males when they walked passed another group on Market Place at around 1am on July 19 last year.

Both groups had been out drinking, marking the end of lock down.

North-Allen's group then began making threats to the other men, who later said they did not know or have any clue why they became aggressive.

CCTV showed North-Allen then walking back towards the men and square up to one man before striking another so hard that the man fell back unconscious and hit his head on the pavement.

Another then hit North-Allen the ground to stop him, but he got up and then switched his attention to another man, whom he punched four times.

The man fell back unconscious, but North-Allen was seen punching four or five times more to head as he lay stricken on the ground.

The first victim had a two-inch laceration to his head and a lump on his jaw.

The second man, who was still unconscious when the emergency services arrived, was in a pool of his own blood.

Both were taken to Pinderfields Hospital, with the second man requiring surgery in the subsequent days for bleeds to his brain.

Both went on to make a full recovery.

Thanks to the CCTV, North-Allen was quickly arrested and despite being shown the violent footage, he gave no comments during interview.

He later admitted a charge of GBH with intent and a charge of ABH.

The court heard that he has nine convictions for 15 offences, including wounding for which he was jailed for 28 months in 2013.

North-Allen, of Parklands, Castleford, appeared via video link from HMP Leeds, where he was being held on remand.

Mitigating, Kara Frith, told the court: "There's no doubt this was an appalling and unprovoked attack

"He is ashamed of what happened and takes full responsibility. What transpired was entirely of his own making.

She said her client did not usually drink to excess and had been out with a group that he hardly knew in Pontefract that evening. She said that he could not remember anything from the attack.

"It was his choice, he is not blaming anyone else," she added.

Judge Stubbs jailed him for five years and said: "The footage makes it absolutely plain what happened.

"You plainly took exception to something and you were aggressive from the outset."