Blinded after a single punch
A QUANTITY surveyor was left blind and severely disabled after he was knocked to the ground by a single punch.
Brian Hogan went home to bed and fell asleep after being hit – but by the following morning he was unconscious.
-
Doctors discovered he had suffered bruising and bleeding to his brain and a skull fracture from the fall.
He was in intensive care and there were fears he would not survive.
Six months on, Mr Hogan is being cared for at Linden Lodge Neuro Rehabilitation Unit at Nottingham City Hospital.
His father said his son was reliant on nursing staff but still had the ability to cry "giant tears from eyes that can't see anymore".
Mr Hogan's attacker, Martin Slack, is starting a jail sentence of two years and three months after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm to 33-year-old Mr Hogan.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Mr Hogan had been to @d2 club in Lower Parliament Street in the city centre with friends.
They were heading back to Mr Hogan's when Slack asked if he could join them. Mr Hogan, who did not know Slack, checked with his group.
One said "no", which appeared to be the catalyst for what happened next.
Slack, who had drunk nine to 10 pints, pushed and pulled Mr Hogan before he punched him hard to the face.
"It's clear he was unable to break his fall and fell backwards hard on to the pavement," said Laura Dawes, prosecuting.
One of the group jumped between the defendant and Mr Hogan. He asked Slack why he had done it, to which he replied, "he was rude to me".
Mr Hogan was unconscious for two minutes.
He was treated at the scene by paramedics but declined an offer to go to hospital, believing the injuries were cuts and bruises.
"The victim, to all intents and purposes, was walking around and talking normally," added Miss Dawes.
"At that stage the victim was not reporting any pain, dizziness or nausea."
Slack, 34, of Charles Street, Leabrooks, Alfreton, Derbyshire, was arrested and identified by witnesses.
He wiped away tears as the court was told how Mr Hogan had made a statement from his hospital bed for the judge.
In it Mr Hogan said Slack should be made to realise that "you don't solve problems by violence or by hitting people".
"I would like him to be punished to learn from his mistakes," he said.
Mr Justice David Clarke said the offence carried a maximum five-year prison sentence after a contested trial.
The single punch had not been delivered with any intent to do really serious injury.
"No one present thought it would do really serious injury. But it caused Mr Hogan to fall to the ground and to bang his head on the pavement."
He also said Mr Hogan had cognitive difficulties, but his intellectual capacity was essentially preserved.
After the hearing, Detective Sergeant Justine Wilson said: "This incident shows how one reckless and violent act can have the most devastating consequences on a life."
rebecca.sherdley@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk
38 Comments
View all
by nottspal
Saturday, October 08 2011, 2:06AM
“I know the guy that dealt the blow and I can tell you all, it's completely out of character for him.... H is a gentle, kind man and I believe that the drink was to blame for this tragic consequence.
It was quite obvious from the trial that "Brian" refused any further treatment and was not feeling dizzy or confused etc etc..... which seems to suggest that the drunken punch was not the cause of the damage. The guilty plea shows the offender's remorse but it is clear it was the fall on the pavement that caused the damage.
Read the facts and get off the band wagon .........................”
by denyse, Case Manager for Transfer
Thursday, March 18 2010, 9:24PM
“Anybody commenting on this case, that does not know or have not met Brian or the Hogan Family, has no right to judge the victim, attacker or the case.
The consequences are what they are, whether intended or not.
Brians positivity and personality has made it some bit easier on his family, but this mans life will never be the way it was, so please, avoid printing of your judgement unless you have been and seen the result of your so called "one drunken punch".
An angry, family friend & key worker.”
by friend, Leabrooks
Sunday, March 14 2010, 3:10PM
“It's about time the true facts about the case came out, that the person who he hit called him a paedo a few times and thought he would be hit and he punched him first”
by Bill Lawrenson, Keyworth
Thursday, March 11 2010, 7:28PM
“"drink wine" you still don't get it. The law dictates what penalty a judge can impose and the mitigating factors to be taken into account. in arriving at a penalty which will not be overturned on appeal. Whilst the impact of the head against the pavement was a consequence of the blow to the face it would not be regarded as an intentional consequence that could be foreseen. A bad and vicious unwarranted assault with tragic consequences but not one in which the judge can disregard the legal niceties and deal out revenge.
As regards boxers wearing gloves they still manage to knock their opponent out by imparting a severe shock to the brain and have been known to cause severe and sometimes fatal injuries. I am sure that the gloved hand of a champion boxer is capable of far more impact damage than a drunk would normally deliver.”
by Andyman, Derbys
Thursday, March 11 2010, 6:26PM
“Why do they wear cloves, just in case the referee is a vampire.”
by Drink wine its better, Nottm
Thursday, March 11 2010, 5:54PM
“Bill L
Your right, at last you get it, just how do you think the victim bashed his head against the pavement, he didnt trip did he?
As for boxers, last time i looked they wore cloves to reduce the impact.”
by Bill Lawrenson, Keyworth
Thursday, March 11 2010, 3:24PM
“I think "drink wine" that you are out of touch with the law ans sentencing. The maximum sentence was indeed 5 years but the judge has to take into account the guilty plea and also whether the serious outcome of the blow was intended. It is clear from the evidence that it was the impact on the pavement and not the immediate blow which had such dire results.
Your statement about someone delivering a blow to thehead would appear to indicate that any boxer should be also charged as they usually seek a knock out.
I think a number of posters are confusing justice with vengeance. This can become something similar to lynch law, which I thought we had grown out of.”
by Drink wine its better, Nottm
Thursday, March 11 2010, 9:07AM
“When someone strikes at the most vulnerable part of the body (the head/brain) they will be expecting to do damage beyond repair or be attempting to incapacitate the victim.
Therefore the maximum sentence must be given when maximum damage is caused.
In this case the guilty man has caused damage beyond repair and his intent has been carried out in full.
The judge in this case is out of touch and should be re trained, just like anyone else that's underperforming in their job.”
by Pete, notts
Thursday, March 11 2010, 6:19AM
“it's sad that this scum will get away with blinding someone .
His prison sentence should be substantial .”
by Naturalised Ripleyite, Ripley
Thursday, March 11 2010, 12:40AM
“Tawdry and unsurprising that we once again see the BNP, presumaly activistsof some kind, shamelessly try to hijack a story on this website for their own puerile and repulsive ends. I see it's basically the same old names commenting in support, and even accusing the only really articulate poster on here - Marie Antioinette - of "being MadBadger". Feeble, truly apalling.
Face it, you're not the silent majority, you're a few disaffeted misfits and that's all you'll ever be. Dissatisfaction with the current parties is no justification for your racist ideology. No one with any shred of moral integrity could ever support the BNP. End of.”