‘Badgered’ Derbyshire man fractured victim’s skull and left him with bleed on brain

CCTV and camera phones showed Cameron Dean chasing the man across Nottingham Road in Ripley and throwing punches before the third blow connected, just before 1am on June 24, 2023.

When Dean's victim said: "Go on, hit me again," Dean did, knocking him to the ground where he banged his head, and kicking him in the ribs when he was unconscious.

Lauren Fisher, prosecuting, said the man sustained a subdural hematoma and a fractured skull, but no surgical intervention was required and he was treated with painkillers.

Nottingham Crown Court heard Dean's victim was an acquaintance and they had been in the Association nightclub on Church Street.

At one point his victim, who says he enjoys "light-hearted banter and winding people up", slapped Dean on the cheek.

He later said the incident was "a drunken mistake between the two of them" but lost £800 in wages while off work.

Dean, who has no previous convictions, told police the man had been “annoying him throughout the evening and badgering him about his girlfriend”.

The 23-year-old of High Street, Heanor, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm on November 14, last year.

Lucy Jones, mitigating, said it doesn't appear the victim sustained grave injury.

Dean, a gas engineer and barman at the weekend, is due to become a father in June and doesn't bother the court ordinarily, she added.

On Wednesday, Judge Mark Watson told Dean, who is of previous good character, the offence crossed the custody threshold but described him as “a productive member of society apart from the events of June 24.”

“Sometimes good people do bad things and this is what happened on that night,” he said. “You reacted to intimidatory behaviour - perhaps skewed by the alcohol.”

The judge made no finding as to whether Dean’s victim had deliberately goaded him, but noted “he accepts he can behave in a way that can be misconstrued.”

He warned Dean his actions “could easily have led to catastrophic effects” and imposed a nine month sentence, suspended for 12 months, with 150 hours of unpaid work. He also ordered £800 compensation.