Crewe man jailed for vicious assault in victim’s own home

A man who seriously assaulted a vulnerable man in his own home in Crewe has been jailed.

John Healey, 43, of no fixed address but of Crewe, had been staying at the victim’s address when on October 5 last year between 2pm and 3pm, he came down stairs and punched the victim, who suffers with severe COPD, four times to the face before he blacked out.

It was the next day when the victim made a call to his mother to ask to stay with her rather than live in his own home.

The victim did not turn up at his mother’s address when he said he would, so she contacted police.

Officers attended the address on Wednesday October 6 and found the victim with severe swelling and bruising to the right side of his face with his right eye bruised and partially closed.

The victim disclosed to officers how Healey had punched and head-butted him.

He was also complaining of further pains to his head so officers took him to hospital where he was triaged and transferred to Royal Stoke Hospital.

He suffered a seizure and later, medics discovered a blood clot on his brain.

He underwent surgery and had to have part of his skull removed as a result of the injuries caused by Healey.

The victim has no other memory of the incident until he woke up at hospital.

Healey was arrested and subsequently charged with section 20 assault.

He has been sentenced to four years imprisonment after being found guilty at trial. He was also handed a 10-year restraining order.

Detective Constable Laura Hall said: “The victim in this case will have to life the rest of his life dealing with the impact of the injuries that Healey inflicted.

“It does not bear thinking about what the outcome of Healey’s actions could have been.

“In questioning, Healey denied causing the injuries and made the victim relive the whole horrendous ordeal once again at court by refusing to plead guilty despite the catalogue of evidence put towards him.

“I would like to pass on my thanks to the courts for the sentence handed down to Healey and I hope that the sentence will bring some small comfort in the knowledge justice has been served and Healey is behind bars.”