TERRIFIED shoppers watched in horror as two cider louts battered a man in Stafford’s main street, a court heard.
Victim Matthew Hudson was left with a broken jaw and other injuries after being karate-kicked and punched.
Despite the victim telling his attackers that he had only one kid- ney, John Beale and Greg Jillings still set about him.
Pat Sullivan, prosecuting, said there was no apparent motive for the assault, both defendants had been drinking at a cider festival in the town.
They pursued him down Greengate Street with Jillings kicking him to the midriff and Beale delivering a punch that fractured the victim’s jaw.
The incident, in the middle of the afternoon of July 30 was captured on CCTV and shown to Stafford Crown Court.
Beale, aged 25, of Alder Grove, Stafford and Jillings, aged 27, of Ten- nyson Road, Stafford were each jailed for 14 months after they both admit- ted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Hudson.
Judge Michael Cullum told the pair: “Having been drinking, you attacked Mr Hudson in the centre of Stafford. I have seen the CTV footage of what happened, which looks shocking, given there were people around shopping and the ferocity of the attack.
“You Jillings decided to pursue him down the main pedestrian street in Stafford.
“He told you he’d had a kidney removed and yet you decided to kick him in the midriff.
‘These were karate kicks, one landed in the kidney area.
“Immediately afterwards, you Beale delivered a very hard blow... leaving him unconscious on the floor.
“You left him for dead, effectively, and walked away. Fortunately there were people around.” The judge heard that Mr Hudson had to undergo specialist treatment in Stoke on Trent, his teeth were removed and plates inserted in his jaw.
Chris Clark, for Jillings, said his client had kicked out at the victim’s arm in the mistaken belief that he had a knife.
But Judge Cullum said that was “a wholly deluded thought” - Mr Hud- son had said nothing and done noth- ing.
Joanne Clark, for Beale, said he had shown remorse and pleaded guilty to
