Sunderland man warned he could have killed after attack during night out

An attacker who floored a man with a single left hook when a night out turned to violence has been warned twice over he could have killed.

District Judge Zoe Passfield told Grant Trotman, 30, his assault – captured on city centre CCTV – may have led to the darker outcome of a manslaughter charge.

And her remarks matched those of his married football fan victim, who said in a statement people had died because of similar blows.

Trotman, of Windermere Street, Grangetown, left the man sprawled on the pavement when he smacked him in the face on Saturday, April 29.

The injured party was attended by police and a deep head gash had to be stapled by hospital medics, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.

Self-employed electrician Trotman, who has previous convictions but none for violence, claimed he lashed out after an earlier incident in a pub with the same person.

Trotman, who pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, insisted he slapped rather than punched and was horrified at the result of his actions.

Prosecutor Rehana Haque said: “The man has no recollection of matters. He was drunk at the time.

“In essence, officers see the incident. The defendant was interviewed and said that it was in self-defence.

“The victim said he had been on a night out after being at a match at the Stadium of Light.

“He can’t say for certain where he had been, but it had been a few bars. He was assaulted by a male who ‘was not known to myself’.

“Officers took him home and his wife took him to hospital, where he needed five staples to close the injury.”

In a statement, Trotman's victim said: “I was having a great night and truly enjoying myself. Someone has taken it upon himself to assault me.

“This type of injury could have killed me, as they have others before me.”

Chris Wilson, defending, said: “There had been an altercation prior, whereby Mr Trotman was the victim.

“The CCTV shows that he was gesticulating with a waving motion to the police to tell them about what had happened prior.

“He slapped the victim. He has no previous for violence and on the face of it this is entirely out of character.

“He has watched the video this morning and was horrified, his reaction was that he only slapped him and didn’t expect what happened to happen.”

Judge Passfield ordered Trotman to pay his victim £250 compensation and sentenced him to a 12-month community order, with 15 rehabilitation days, and £85 court costs.

She said: “We very often have cases before the court that have CCTV footage just like that and they are manslaughter charges, because people hit the ground and they don’t survive.

“Fortunately, in this case, the injuries received were minor.”