Man left friend with brain injury after a single punch

A MAN left a friend with bleeding and bruising to the brain with a single punch outside a club, a court heard.

Ben Turner, aged 24, hit Matthew Thompson once, leaving him unconscious in the city's clubland, Plymouth magistrates heard.

Turner's solicitor said the pair had been scuffling in the early hours after a night drinking and it was unfortunate that Mr Thompson had suffered a serious injury.

The court heard Turner had mental health problems.

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The defendant, of Exeter Close, Ernesettle, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm on March 26.

He also admitted failing to answer bail at court on May 20 and theft of two bottles of champagne worth £53 from the Co-op in Morshead Road, Crownhill, on July 7.

Turner pleaded guilty to failing to leave the Union Street area when directed by a police officer on December 2.

He finally admitted that the assault put him in breach of a conditional discharge for criminal damage from July 2011.

Eoin McCarthy, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Mr Thompson had been out drinking and could not remember anything about the incident in March.

He added a CCTV camera outside the Clipper Inn in Union Street showed Turner delivering a single blow to the complainant, knocking him to the floor and rendering him unconscious.

Mr McCarthy said Mr Thompson was taken to Derriford Hospital, where a small amount of bleeding and bruising was found on his brain.

He added he also had a swollen face and a cut behind the ear.

The court heard he suffered headaches for about a week but made a full recovery.

John Haythorne, for Turner, said his client had suffered mental health problems over several years.

He added he was now taking anti-psychotic medication, when at times he did not take his drugs.

Mr Haythorne said he was meeting his community psychiatric nurse regularly and had an appointment with counsellors to tackle his drinking.

He added: "The complainant was his friend and unfortunately he hurt his brain. He feels bad about it. This was a scuffle and six of one and half a dozen of the other."

Magistrates gave him a 12-month community order under probation supervision with a tagged curfew between 7pm and 7am every night.

He must pay compensation of £275 to Mr Thompson and £53 to the Co-op store.