Nine years for Sunderland club attack man

A man who brutally attacked a man and woman in a club - leaving one with a brain haemorrhage and broken nose - has been jailed for nine years.
Ricki King was sentenced to nine years in jailRicki King was sentenced to nine years in jail
Ricki King was sentenced to nine years in jail

Ricki King, 34, attacked the couple while they were drinking at the Buffs Club, in Southwick, Sunderland, on October 5 last year

Prosecutor Neil Pallister told Newcastle Crown Court that at about 10pm the female victim returned to her seat to see King shouting at her partner and he then came "right up" in her face and threatened to hit them both.

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She said that when King was asked why he replied: "Because I can get away with it."

The court heard that he then began punching her in the face, pulled her to the ground and kicked her in the head before turning to her partner and kicking and punching him.

As a result of the attack, the man spent two weeks in hospital after he suffered a brain haemorrhage and a broken nose. The woman's injuries included two black-eyes, a sore nose and sore back as a result of the attack.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "I'm worried that I might bump into the person that hurt me," and that she was concerned he would hurt her again.

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In his victim impact statement, the male victim said: "I'm still not myself."

He said he couldn't speak properly when he was in hospital and his head still felt "fuzzy".

CCTV footage showed King attacking the woman and then the man victim. King then walked away while they remained on the floor before returning to kick the man again, who had managed to sit up.

King had previously admitted two counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm and denied two counts of causing bodily harm with intent.

Yesterday he changed one count to guilty.

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Glen Gatland, defending, pointed out that both victims had declined to give updated victim impact statements.

He said: "This is a tragic case for the injured parties, for the defendant's family and for the defendant himself.

"He has expressed great remorse."

Mr Gatland told the court that King suffered from severe anxiety disorder and had essentially self medicated with drink and drugs.

He told the court that King knew the victims well and had written a letter to them apologising for his behaviour.

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He described King as a family man who has two young sons who are his "total world."

The court also heard how King exposed himself following an incident at the Spar store on North Hylton Road, Sunderland on November 18 2017.

The court heard King entered the shop and began "mucking about" before dropping his trousers and underpants and running up to the shop workers at the cash desk.

The court also dealt with the charge of threatening behaviour following an incident at the North Star bar in Sunderland.

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The court heard that on March 13 last year, King entered the bar and began acting aggressively, getting in people's faces and at one point knocked the manager - his uncle - to the

ground.

King previously had pleaded guilty to exposure and to threatening behaviour.

Recorder Andrew Haslam said King's behaviour came across as trying to prove to himself what a "tough guy" he was but in fact, "you were anything but a tough guy behaving the way you did that evening."

King was sentenced to nine years imprisonment.