Shocking images show how single punch attack victim has been left with ‘half his head missing’

Shocking images show how a single punch attack has left a man with ‘half his head missing.’

Jamie Kelly suffered a catastrophic bleed on the brain and required emergency surgery after the attack in Scarborough, last September.

The 41-year-old was in a coma for weeks and lost half his skull as surgeons battled to save his life.

Pictures released by Jamie’s family reveal the full extent of his devastating injuries, which have left him bed bound and dependent on specialist care for life.

‘One punch - that’s all it took to destroy my boy’s life’

Daniel Johnson, 32, struck him with a single punch in a “senseless attack” as they stood at a pedestrian crossing, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement.

He was jailed yesterday (Mon) for two years and five months after he admitted grievous bodily harm at York Crown Court.

Jamie’s mother Brenda said her son had been left “a shell of a man” who couldn’t shower, eat or walk and had to drink through a “sippy cup”.

She said: “My son needs to learn to walk again because Daniel Johnson decided he would punch him, obviously intending to hurt him.

“One punch - that’s all it took to destroy my boy’s life as he knew it.”

His crestfallen father told York Crown Court yesterday (Mon) it was “heart-breaking” to see his son “struggle” and said he didn’t know how much Jamie would recover.

Jamie was rushed to hospital where neurosurgeons at Hull Royal Infirmary battled for hours to save his life.

Johnson was arrested nearby and charged with Section 18 wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

But prosecutors accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of Section 20 grievous bodily harm.

Jamie has been left a ‘shell of a man’

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Brenda said: “When I look at my son what I should see, what I want to see, is a strong, fit, happy independent 41-year-old man.

“But all I do see, due to a violent punch that Daniel Johnson inflicted on him, is a shell of a man.

“A man who has to drink from a non-spill sippy cup, who needs help eating because of tremors wrack his entire body. He can’t go to the toilet or shower himself.

“What our family has gone though, and is still going through, is senseless.

‘”This is all because one so-called man thought that violence was OK.”

Jamie’s dad, Michael Kelly, spent more than £1,200 in fuel and racked up more than 9,000 miles visiting his son in hospital during his treatment.

‘It is heart-breaking to see my son struggle’

He praised NHS staff for saving Jamie’s life, but said it was heartbreaking to see his son struggle so hard to have some quality of life.He told the court in his statement: “I feel that everyone should be made aware of exactly where Jamie is on his struggle for recovery.

“It is very hard to accept for Jamie as he is a proud man and desperate for independence.

“The injury to Jamie’s brain has resulted in his body being racked with severe shakes, so much so that he cannot feed himself without his meal being thrown off the fork or spoon.

“I have also had to purchase special cups to allow Jamie to have a drink without soaking his clothes.

“At times Jamie gets very confused. His eyes have been severely affected and are now in the corner of the eye socket.

“Jamie is not able to focus on anything and is now suffering severe double vision.

“Jamie’s skull flap has still not been replaced and doctors can’t say when it can be fitted.

“It is also possible that it can’t be replaced, and he might have to have a titanium plate fitted instead.

“With no skull flap to hold it, Jamie’s scalp has dropped that much half of his head is missing. He now has to wear a special padded cap whenever he is moved.

He added: “It is heart-breaking to see my son struggle so hard to have some quality of life and, indeed, we don’t know what the extent of his recovery will be.

“What we do know is that Jamie will have to live with this for the rest of his life, as will we.”

‘No outcome at court will undo the devastation’

North Yorkshire Police’s Detective Constable Peter Day, of Scarborough and Ryedale CID, led the investigation into the assault and has provided support to Jamie’s parents throughout this ordeal.

He said: “This has been a truly horrendous experience for Jamie and especially for his parents who thought they were going to lose their son.

“No outcome at court will undo the devastation that Johnson caused with one punch.”

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