Laurie Ian Murphy (28) followed his victim as he left the Hospital, where he had been visiting a friend, before striking him on the side of the head leaving him covered in blood.
He admitted a charge of grave and criminal assault one day before his Assize trial was due to begin. Murphy also admitted a host of other separate motoring matters.
In the Royal Court yesterday, Murphy was jailed for two years and nine months. Delivering the court’s sentence, the Bailiff, Tim Le Cocq, said: ‘The injuries were serious and could have been more so; they were so bad he bled profusely.
‘This was a nasty unprovoked attack on the streets of St Helier, fuelled by alcohol.’
Crown Advocate Conrad Yates, prosecuting, said that on 27 September the victim was visiting a friend at the Hospital when he saw a male who was with a woman.
The victim left the hospital and was followed by Murphy who was shouting: ‘Oi, mate, are you a doctor?’ Murphy then introduced his sister and quickly accused the victim of having an ulterior motive towards her, to which he replied: ‘No chance, I am married.’
Murphy continued to follow the victim and ran after him shouting: ‘Help me, help me, I’ve broken my shoulder.’ The victim responded by telling him to go to the Emergency Department, and he described the defendant as acting bizarrely in the street.
The victim said that Murphy came closer and assaulted him with what turned out to be a plug.
Recommending a three-year-and-three-month sentence, Crown Advocate Yates said Murphy used the plug as a ‘knuckle duster’ and that the attack had been carried out ‘in cold blood’.
Advocate Adam Harrison, defending, denied that Murphy had used the plug as a weapon and said his client accepted the facts, apart from the allegation he used the plug like a knuckle duster. He said it was not the case that he had armed himself in anticipation of violence.
He described how his client had an unsettled childhood, which continued to impact on him and he urged the crown to impose a lesser sentence.
Murphy also admitted motoring offences, which included drink-driving, taking a vehicle without consent and driving without insurance and while disqualified, relating to an incident on Old St John’s Road on 28 April.
The Bailiff also imposed a 36-month driving ban.
Jurats Jane Ronge and Robert Christensen were sitting.
