Man jailed for punch that put Walsall youth in a coma

A man who put a teenager in hospital fighting for his life with a single punch has been sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Father-of-two Robert Bagnall, aged 24, appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday after admitting unlawful wounding which left 19-year-old Kearon McNicol in a coma.

Bagnall, of Wye Road, Bloxwich, stared straight ahead as sentence was handed down.

Mr David Lees, prosecuting, said Bagnall had a string of previous convictions for offences including affray, disorder and using threatening behaviour. His most recent previous offence was in April 2006.

Labourer Bagnall and Mr McNicol started arguing in "two-way drunken nonsense" in the early hours of October 9 after having been at the same party hours earlier, the court heard.

Mr Stephen Cadwaladr, defending, said Bagnall made the first contact in the imminent punch-up which spilled out into Ryle Street, Bloxwich.

He said the punch Bagnall had thrown at Mr McNicol did not cause a great deal of harm in itself, but that grave injuries were caused when the teenager's head hit the ground.

Mr McNicol was knocked unconscious and suffered a brain haemorrhage. He underwent five hours of surgery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham to remove parts of his skull, and doctors induced him into a coma to prevent his brain from swelling.

He is now awaiting an operation to insert a titanium plate in his head.

Bagnall denied grievous bodily harm with intent, which was accepted by the prosecution.

Judge Martin Walsh told him: "It is implicit in your plea that you did not intend to cause really serious injury, but really serious injury you did cause."

The judge said if Bagnall had been convicted after a trial the sentence would have been two years in prison.

By Hannah Webster