Bully launched vicious attack on man with hardened bike glove
KNAGGS REPEATEDLY PUNCHED THE VICTIM IN THE HEAD
A Heavy-drinking bully who used to down nine cans of strong cider a day viciously punched another man in the head up to 25 times – using a motorcycle glove that had hardened and reinforced knuckles on it.
Reformed heroin addict John Knaggs “saw red” and angrily stormed downstairs to confront and attack the victim in a nearby garden but, “mercifully” and “miraculously”, the man did not suffer serious injuries.
The victim was left counting his lucky stars that he was not killed during the violent and “cowardly” beating, Hull Crown Court heard.
Knaggs, 45, formerly of Brandsby Grove, but recently of no fixed address, admitted assaulting the man, causing actual bodily harm, on August 24, last year.
Holly Thompson, prosecuting, said that the man, who had family links to Knaggs, returned to his home after working in his garden but Knaggs began looking out of his window and shouting towards him.
He warned the man: “Give me 10 seconds and I’ll knock your teeth out. I’ll f**”ing kill you.” Knaggs came downstairs wearing motorcycle gloves that had a hardened knuckle on them.
The next thing that the man could remember was waking up. Paramedics were called.
A witness had seen Knaggs jump over a table and pin the man down to garden furniture before hitting him 20 to 25 times to the head.
After five punches, the victim fell unconscious and his head began to bleed. Knaggs was dragged away by members of his family.
“The defendant himself informed the police,” said Miss Thompson. He was arrested and the motorcycle gloves were seized. The victim was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary.
He had suffered extensive bruises and swelling to the side of his face. There was blood coming from his right ear and he had reduced hearing.
During police interview, Knaggs said “I’m guilty” and added that he “punched the f***” out of the victim and that, “when people p*** him off”, he loses control and blacks out. The motorcycle gloves had hardened protection on the knuckles.
Knaggs had convictions for 17 previous offences between September 1990 and March 2010, including one of inflicting grievous bodily harm and another of assault causing actual bodily harm. The man later said that he suffered painful face injuries and terrible headaches.
“I have been extremely lucky to have left hospital with no significant injuries or fractures,” he said.
“The assault has affected my mental state. I feel that he could have killed me.” It had been the most vicious attack that he had suffered even though, as a security officer, he was used to violence.
He had lost money because he had to take time off work and he received only statutory sick pay. Knaggs was his stepdaughter’s partner.
Connor Stuart, mitigating, said that Knaggs pleaded guilty at an early stage and he had no recent convictions.
“He called the police on himself,” said Mr Stuart. “He was candid with them at the interview. They are all part of the same family.
“He maintains that there was some provocation. He simply saw red and that’s what led to this offending.
“It was a serious but isolated incident. He doesn’t minimise the impact this has had on the complainant.
“He has not troubled the courts for over 14 years. The defendant kicked his drug addiction to heroin unilaterally under his own steam and eliminated his dependency on methadone.
“He is at low risk of reoffending and a low risk of harm to the public.”
Deputy circuit judge Paul Watson KC told Knaggs: “Mercifully and, one would say, miraculously, the injuries were not as bad as might have been thought. You were open and honest with the police about what happened.
“There may have been a background but none of that excuses your attack on him. There was a degree of pre-planning, putting on that glove and going downstairs to attack him.
“Some would say that I ought to lock you up straight away for this serious and rather cowardly attack but I am going to give you a chance.”
Knaggs was given a 14-month suspended prison sentence, six months’ alcohol treatment and 20 days’ rehabilitation. He was given a five-year restraining order.