A man who left his victim with life-changing brain injuries after punching him outside a pub has been jailed for two years.
Andrew Clynch, 43, was sentenced at Chester Crown Court after pleading guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Simon Tew outside the Cat Pub in Ellesmere Port.
Mr Tew suffered a bleed on the brain in the attack and has been left with short-term memory loss and currently requires round-the-clock care.
His partner Karen Whitby said today: “We are totally devastated. The brain injury Simon received as a result of this assault has changed Simon’s life and the rest of our lives forever.”
Cheshire police said that at about 10.50pm on April 12 this year the 41-year-old was assaulted by Clynch, of Birkett Avenue, Ellesmere Port, in an “unprovoked” attack.
Mr Tew fell to the floor after being punched once in the face, hitting his head on steps leading from the car park to the pub’s entrance.
Paramedics were called and he was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital in a critical condition. He was then transferred to Walton Hospital for immediate surgery suffering from a bleed on the brain.
He remained in hospital for a total of four months before being discharged − but the impact of his injuries will now affect him for the rest of his life.
Following Clynch’s sentencing, DI Steve Jones, of Cheshire Police, said: “Clynch’s actions that night have had a huge impact on the victim and his family – who are all struggling to come to terms with what has happened.
“The victim sustained serious, life changing injuries and these will have a big impact on him for the rest of his life – he will never be the same man he was and suffers from a number of problems including short-term memory loss. He will need further surgery on his skull and currently requires 24-hour supervision.
“Due to the nature of his injuries he needs a lot of care and support. His family is also struggling to come to terms with what has happened.
“I hope that the guilty plea and conclusion of this case will help to bring about a degree of closure for all those involved.
“Violent crime of any kind will not be tolerated. Cheshire Police takes any incidents of this nature extremely seriously. The force is committed to tackling this type of crime – anyone who resorts to violence will end up paying the price for their actions.”
