Man jailed for GBH after he hit his cousin
Victim, who refused to make a statement against his relative, suffered a brain bleed
AMAN shouted at and pushed his cousin in a heated argument in the middle of the street before knocking him to the ground, causing a brain bleed.
Jamie Grimes, 24, punched his cousin Daniel Beddows so hard the “thud” was heard by neighbours, who rushed out to help.
The pair had been seen arguing near Egypt Street in Widnes at around 7.30am on May 20 last year, just a few hours after drinking and taking cocaine together.
Grimes was seen gesturing and shouting “stop doing this” at his cousin as he walked down the street. Mr Beddows followed, saying “just let me explain”.
Grimes was then heard to say “I thought you respected me”. Mr Beddows responded that he did but Grimes told him “just go back, I don’t want to know”.
He then punched his cousin to the ground before walking away.
Another witness said she heard the two men “shouting loudly”, and looked out of her window to see Grimes pushing Mr Beddows in the chest and saying “just go away”.
He briefly walked away, but then turned around and punched Mr Beddows in the face, causing him to stumble and fall.
She said Mr Beddows “immediately got up” after the first punch and Grimes began to walk away before going back and punching him again in the head.
Prosecutor Paul Blasbery, at Liverpool Crown Court, said: “The defendant hit the victim again to the head. It was a powerful punch. The witness describes the victim as falling, hitting his head on the concrete floor. This resulted in a loud thud, which could be heard on Egypt Street. The victim was not moving. He was just lying there.”
Witnesses called and Mr Beddows 999 was taken to hospital with two skull fractures and a bleed on the brain.
He refused to make a statement against his cousin; however, Grimes was arrested and later pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing grievous bodily harm.
Mr Blasbery said Grimes had three previous convictions for three offences including a fiveyear jail sentence for grievous bodily harm which he received in June 2017 after participating in a vicious attack on another boy at his college.
Grimes, who could not be named at the time due to his age, rained down “forceful punches” on his victim after hunting him down Riverside College, Kingsway, on December 7, 2016.
Judge Charlotte Crandle sentenced Grimes, of Stewards Avenue, Widnes, to 15 months in prison, and ordered him to pay £187 to his cousin.
‘The witness describes the victim as falling, hitting his head on the concrete floor. This resulted in a loud thud’ Prosecutor Paul Blasbery