A man was punched and kicked unconscious and then stripped of his clothes and dumped naked in the street, a court heard.
The victim, James Byrne, was discovered by police officers at 3.30am on August 2 last year in School Crescent, Dewsbury , lying on the pavement between two parked cars, John Bull prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court on Friday.
He was still unconscious, had bruising and swelling around his right eye, abrasions on his cheek and when seen in hospital was found to have a fracture to the orbit of his right eye.
Mr Bull said he was found opposite the entry to a flat and inquiries revealed he had arrived there by taxi in the early hours to meet a friend following an arrangement earlier that night. She was an acquaintance of the occupant of the flat.
Mr Byrne knew among others likely to be there was Paul Degnan with whom he had previously been in a fight. They had allegedly made up afterwards but Mr Byrne said he had some anxiety going to the address.
A witness described that as soon as he walked he was punched in the face and another man, Samuel Day, admitted he was responsible for that.
After that Mr Byrne said others joined in punching him to his head and body, including Degnan. He tried to run away but was pulled back and ended up on the floor where he was punched and kicked to his head and body.
Simon Perkins, representing Day, said he had been candid in his probation report that his actions were an example of drink and drug fuelled violent behaviour after he had “bought into his co-accused’s ongoing beef with the victim.”
Because of immaturity in the past he tended to go along with what people told him but his admissions were perhaps the sign he was beginning to grow up. “He recognises he needs to sort himself out,” said Mr Perkins, who added that Day had kept out of trouble since and had work available.
Mark Brookes for Degnan said he was a family man who had never been in custody before. He did not accept kicking Mr Byrne but Recorder Dafydd Enoch QC said he would be sentenced on the basis he involved himself in a joint enterprise where kicking was carried out.
Day, 19 of Common Road, Batley was sent to a young offender institution for two years. Degnan, 36, of Knowles Hill Road, Dewsbury Moor was jailed for two and a half years. Both admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.
Sentencing them Recorder Enoch said the case was too serious to avoid anything other than an immediate custodial sentence.
He said Mr Byrne suffered a “severe and substantial beating at your hands. He was rendered unconscious and one of the most aggravating features is he was completely stripped naked and dumped in the street naked between parked cars.
“For all you knew he could have been dying from what you had done to him.”
