Walsall hostel thug jailed for six years after 'motiveless' attack

Jonathan Walsh sank his teeth into both ears of Mohammad Langroudi before slashing the victim's right forearm with a jagged piece of porcelain from a wash basin that was damaged during the clash, a judge was told.

The blow broke a bone and severed tendons, badly hampering use of the right hand of the victim who also received a head injury during the beating, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Trouble flared at Happy Times Housing in Stafford Street, Walsall, on July 22, shortly after Walsh moved in, said Mr Howard Searle prosecuting.

The 23-year-old defendant followed Mr Langroudi to the hostel's communal toilet late at night to complain about the dirty state of the landing and floored him with a punch when the other man said it had nothing to do with him.

The defendant pinned Mr Langroudi to the ground before biting both his ears and causing serious wounds to the victim's arm and head with the jagged shard of porcelain.

Mr Searle continued: "He suffered a severe cut to the right wrist and complex damage to the forearm that affected tendons and nerves. He was also struck to the back of the head before the defendant ran off."

Walsh fled to the home of his mother to get a change of clothes and two days later was detained after jumping from a bedroom window in an unsuccessful attempt to escape police who had traced him to the address.

Mr Oliver Woolhouse, defending, maintained: "The injury caused was a serious one but it does not seem to have been premeditated. He did not go to the toilets armed with anything to carry out the assault. It blew up out of all proportion in the heat of an argument.

"He had been drinking and taking drugs with others at the hostel and realises he has underlying mental health and other problems to address. He is determined to emerge from prison a changed man after serving his sentence."

Walsh, from Large Avenue, Darlaston, whose six previous convictions included several violent offences, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He was sent to prison by Judge Michael Challinor who said: "There seems to have been little or no motive to explain how a minor argument exploded into violence which has clearly affected the injured party both physically and psychologically. However you suffer from mental health problems and were clearly affected by them at the time of the incident."