Man left ‘imprint’ on attack victim’s head with ‘barbell’

A MAN who attacked another man at his home with a ‘barbell’ leaving an ‘imprint’ on his head has been warned he could face jail.

Victim Gary Kearns was assaulted with the ‘weighty weapon’ by defendant John Nolan in Clayton-le-Moors.

Nolan, 37, was originally charged with a section 18 wounding with intent following the incident on March 4 last year.

However prosecutors have now accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of section 20 wounding (GBH) following a discussion with the Mr Kearns.

Prosecutor Paul Dockery told a Preston Crown Court hearing last week that Nolan was prepared to enter a guilty plea to GBH in August but he ‘didn’t have instructions to accept it’. He said: “Mr Kearns is of a mind to accept the defendant’s plea on the basis that intended to injure him but not necessarily with the intent of causing really serious injury, even though it was a weighty weapon he held.

“It’s described as a barbell. You can see the injury in the photographs. It’s as if the spiral edge of the bar bell is almost imprinted on the head.

“He plainly took that item to the home and entered the home at the rear. The Crown don’t think this warrants two or three days of Crown Court time.”

Defence barrister Neil Howard said Nolan, who works for a clothing manufacturing company, has no previous convictions and requested a pre-sentence report.

Judge Simon Medland QC said the defendant, of King Street, Blackburn, would be afforded suitable credit for his guilty plea.

However he warned Nolan that an immediate custodial sentence is ‘likely or a strong possibility’.

He adjourned sentence to February 7 at Burnley Crown Court and granted Nolan bail with a qualifying electronically monitored curfew.