A PADGATE man left his victim with five skull fractures and bleeding on the brain after knocking him to the floor outside a Warrington nightclub.

The victim was attacked after making an abusive sexualised gesture towards Matthew Warburton and two friends in the vicinity of PJ’s nightclub, on Bridge Street.

Warburton, of Sorrel Close, Padgate, pleaded guilty to unlawful and malicious wounding when he appeared before Liverpool Crown Court on Friday (April 5).

Graphic CCTV footage showed the 29-year-old and his two companions crossing the road towards the man and there was some pushing and shoving before Warburton floored him with one punch to the face.

Prosecuting, Iain Criddle told the courts the victim was left lying unconscious on the road and was taken to hospital where he was found to have suffered five skull fractures and bleeding on the brain.

Mr Criddle added that while the victim’s behaviour ‘might explain why Mr Warburton decided to punch him’, this did not justify his behaviour and the victim ‘was no threat at the time’.

The man was in a coma for nine days and has been left with constant headaches and has lost his sense of smell, the court heard.

Mr Criddle said that when interviewed after the incident, which took place about 2 am on December 5, 2022, the defendant said he came out of the club and was arguing with the victim. “He felt threatened and threw a punch out as a result.”

In an impact statement the victim told how he no longer likes going out and the incident had impacted on his plans to open his own tattoo business.

He had attended the Walton Centre because of his constant ongoing headaches, he suffers from dizziness and has repeatedly collapsed. His relationship with his partner has become strained and he is on anti-depressants.

He stated that the incident ‘has changed me as a person’ and he now lacks motivation and no longer works out as much as he used to do.

Defence barrister Jemma Gordon stated her client had no previous convictions.

“He is ashamed and has expressed remorse. He is in work and able to pay compensation. It has been a considerable time since the incident and there has been no repeat of his behaviour.

“Alcohol was a major factor and he has taken steps to reduce his consumption,” she added.

Concluding the hearing, Judge Garrett Byrne said no matter what the victim did to provoke Warburton, ‘nothing can justify what you did’.

He pointed out that there are many ‘one punch manslaughter cases’, and Warburton could easily have been one of them and facing a very long jail sentence.

Judge Byrne served the defendant an eight-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months.

He also ordered him to pay his victim £1,000 by July 1, carry out 10 rehabilitation activity days and imposed a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.