Violent thug jailed for 11 years for attack on unconscious man

A violent thug who attacked an unconscious man in Blackburn has been jailed for 11 years and two months. Judge Ian Unsworth KC, sitting at Preston Crown Court, deemed John Moir, also known as Paul, to be a danger to the public.

The incident occurred on 22nd February this year when the victim walked to the Polish Shop on King Street, Blackburn. CCTV footage showed him sit on the pavement next to a car for around six minutes before using the car to pull himself up.

Moir approached the victim, along with two as yet unidentified men who came out of a nearby Shisha Bar. Moir punched the victim to the side of his head, knocking him to the floor. The victim got up and attempted to run away, but one of the unidentified men chased after him, hitting him twice to the back of the head, causing him to fall forward into a vehicle and onto the floor.

As the attack continued, Moir kicked the victim to the head two or three times. One of the unknown men then started to drag the prone victim down the street and away from Moir. However, Moir returned and kicked the victim in the head a further two more times while he was lying unconscious on the floor. A few minutes later, five unidentified men left the Shisha Bar and walked over to the victim who was still lying unconscious on the floor.

Moir kicked the victim three more times. The victim managed to get back to his feet but as he was stumbling away, one of the unknown men hit him. Moir then returned and hit the victim a further 11 times. As a result of the attack, the victim suffered fractured eye socket and a fractured nose in two places.

Moir was arrested and charged with Section 18 wounding. He pleaded guilty to the offence at Preston Crown Court earlier this year and returned to the same court on Tuesday where he was jailed for seven years and two months and given a further four-year extended licence period.

In his statement to the court, the victim said: "After the attack I have been suffering with stress and anxiety. I am scared to go out on the streets in the evening, it seems very dangerous to me, and I am scared I might be killed. Physically, I have problems with my eyesight. I went to see an eye doctor and I was told that the nerve next to my eye is damaged and it is painful when I look to the left. I got a concussion and I still have headaches. I can’t sleep at night because of the headaches. I also have pain in my chest. I have problems breathing and a pressure in my chest which is worse when I do physical work."

DC Lee Swales, of Blackburn CID, said: "This was a sickening attack on a wholly innocent man. Despite his best efforts to escape Moir, the victim suffered around 40 separate blows – some while he lay on the ground unconscious. In many ways Moir is fortunate he was not stood in the dock facing a murder charge." He added: "I welcome the sentence handed down to Moir, who is an extremely violent individual and someone who represents a significant risk to members of the public."