Ex-policeman suffered severe brain injuries in York attack

The former officer now cannot read, write or understand numbers, has difficulty communicating and cannot look after himself, York Crown Court heard.

Attackers Oliver Ward and Nathan Weston celebrated as the victim lay prone and unconscious on the ground at St Saviourgate taxi rank, before leaving the scene, said Zarreen Alam-Cheetham, prosecuting.

The ex-policeman turned personal fitness trainer was rushed to hospital, put in an induced coma, and underwent two emergency operations to relieve bleeding on the brain and protect his airways.

He had been trying to get a taxi for a friend who had become medically ill during a night out and who needed to get home.

In a personal statement, his sister said he now refuses to leave his flat, insisting he would rather die than live as he now lives.

“It is heart-breaking for us to see him like this,” the sister said.

His family had feared for his life as he lay in Leeds General Infirmary with life-threatening head injuries following the incident early on October 23, 2022.

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Judge Simon Weston told Ward and Weston: “This was in my judgement a shocking, unprovoked violent episode in a York street for no reason. There was no reason for you to involve yourselves with anyone that night."

As the ex-policeman lay on the ground, both men had celebrated and looked “quite deliberately” at him before leaving the scene.

“Your remorse and humanity could have been shown by going across to help this individual,” the judge told the pair.

Both men had been drinking.

Oliver Ward (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

Ward, 32, of Glenside Flats, Fourth Avenue, Tang Hall, whose punch knocked the ex-policeman out, denied causing grievous bodily harm and affray but was convicted at a trial in July.  He was jailed for four years.

Weston, 28, of Cowstail Lane, Tockwith, who began the violence, pleaded guilty to affray and was jailed for 14 months.

Ms Alam-Cheetham said the ex-policeman’s friend, who has Crohn’s Disease, was feeling ill at the end of a night out together and needed to get home quickly.  The former officer asked others waiting at the St Saviourgate taxi rank if they would let her go first.

An argument broke out before the situation calmed down. But then Weston took off his jacket, Ward had an argument with the ex-policeman and the violence broke out.

Both men had handed themselves in following a police appeal.

Jordan Millican, for Ward, said the consequences of his actions “haunts him every day” and he now suffers from depression and anxiety.

He had not started the violence and the head injury had been the result of a single punch.

Alcohol, substance misuse and anger management were problems for him.

The barrister handed in references describing Ward as a “hard-working industrious young man” who had behaved totally out of character. He had no previous convictions.

Nathan Weston (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

For Weston, Lily Wildman said he had become involved in the violence through a “perfect storm” of drinking alcohol, mental health issues and trauma from violence in a previous relationship.

He had shown an “extreme lapse in judgement”.

In the years since, he had changed his life.