Acocks Green: man jailed for knocking victim unconscious in local bar

An attacker who knocked his victim unconscious in a bar in Birmingham has been jailed - after handing himself in when he spotted himself in a media appeal issued by police.

Thomas McDermott punched his victim once from behind in the unprovoked attack, at a bar in Warwick Road, Acocks Green on 27 June last year.

The victim, a man in his 20s, was struck with such force he was knocked unconscious for several minutes before being taken to hospital where medics treated him for a broken jaw, several broken teeth and a bleed on the brain.

He needed surgery for his injuries and has been left with permanent scarring and remains deaf in one ear.

Officers were able to retrieve CCTV and the day after the attack issued an image of the suspect on social media, asking the public to help identify him.

McDermott, who had seen the post, handed himself in to officers on the following morning (29 June), saying “I’m the man from the media appeal".

McDermott, aged 29, of Brays Road, Sheldon, pleaded guilty to wounding at Birmingham Crown Court and on Thursday (10 February) was jailed for four years.

What has the investigating officer said about the attack?

PC Katherine Rutter, from Force CID, said: "Minutes before this abhorrent attack, McDermott had seen his victim make an apparent gesture towards a man he was standing next to.

"But then McDermott struck him, for whatever imagined slight, with such force and aggression it has left the victim with life-changing injuries.

"Such violence is shocking but after we put out his image asking for people to tell us who he was, McDermott did come forward.

"We hope that action and this conviction brings the victim some comfort, and wish him well for the future."

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