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The victim of an unprovoked assault which resulted in surgeons removing a quarter of his skull saw his attacker jailed today.
Steven Cloak, 26, is recovering well from cranioplasty surgery to insert a titanium plate into his skull to reform the area which was earlier removed to relieve pressure on his brain.
Steven had been the victim of an assault by Jack Hobbs, a 16-year-old who attacked him simply because he did not like the way he looked at him. The horrific injuries Steven suffered were so shocking that Judge Phillip Wassall said there were too prejudicial to show the jury.
Today Hobbs was named as he was jailed for for five years for causing grievous bodily harm with intent . However he will be released on license in just 30 months time.
Judge Philip Wassall told him: 'It was a matter of luck that this man did not die, you could be here being sentenced for murder. Alcohol is no excuse. It was a chilling thing to listen to.
'It was a murderous attack on him.'
He said Hobbs came back to kick the unconscious victim which was a 'plainly wicked thing to do'.
Steven was walking home with a Chinese takeaway meal in his hand when Hobbs attacked him in February last year.
Hobbs, also from the town, had been downing beer and sambuca with friends when he launched the unprovoked assault before he tried to cover up his actions.
Hobbs punched Steven twice and he fell to the ground, banging his head just yards from the safety of his home.
Hobbs walked off but returned seconds later and put the boot in to Steven's head - before running away telling his gang of mates to keep silent about what he had done.
Hobbs, now 17, put his blood stained trainers and clothes in the washing machine at home but forensic scientists still found traces of blood on the shoes.
At the scene he had wiped away some blood from his shoes before he fled - but some of his mates gave evidence against him as he tried to claim he had acted in self defence.
Steven has no memory of the incident or the previous months of his life and could not give evidence.
But Hobbs told Exeter Crown Court: 'I thought he was going to hit me. He appeared to be looking at me, it was an intimidating look. I went to confront him.'
He also claimed he had used his foot to move Steven's head on the ground - but witnesses said he put the boot in on the 'motionless and unconscious' victim.
Prosecutor David Evans said: "The sad truth is this 16 year old was fired up in drink and playing the hardman.'
After the case Steven's mum Margaret said: 'Steven is doing very well. Things have been difficult but I think how lucky we are - it could have been such a different scenario. He can't play football or sport.
'He will never completely recover from it but whether he will remember the attack only time will tell. It was an absolutely unprovoked attack and people can't be allowed to do it.'
After the attack around 500 protesters marched through the streets in Bideford to reclaim it from anti social behaviour in Steven's name.
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