A MAN “waded in unnecessarily”, knocked another man to the ground and punched him while he was unconscious in a vicious attack.

Michal Szajca, 30, of Richmond Park Crescent, was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent on Christopher McCauley on October 26, 2019.

He was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Tuesday, October 5, 2021.

Bournemouth Echo: Michal Szajca

The court heard how Mr McCauley had had a dispute with his wife and “wanted some alone time”.

Szajca and another man then attacked Mr McCauley outside the Alt nightclub in Holdenhurst Road, with the defendant punching him while he was unconscious.

The victim was left with a broken eye socket, broken nose, facial swelling and bruising to the frontal lobe of his brain.

Reading a victim impact statement, prosecutor Peter Pride told the court Mr McCauley had “vivid nightmares” of the attack and suffered from flashbacks.

The statement said: “I didn’t feel as if it was my body. I have a negative self-perception and high vigilance.

“Dealing with mental health issues led to a diagnosis of PTSD. Dealing with these issues led to a huge decline in my mental health which in turn led to issues with my marriage.

“When I take my children out, I would take a step outside and immediately be hit by my high vigilance, it’s made me feel as if my children were unsafe in my care.”

Mr McCauley also struggled with a loss of his memory and being unable to function if he forgot to take his medication.

Mr Pride added: “He suffers from frequent headaches and concludes saying, ‘since my attack I am living my life in fear, stress and frustration and I will be living my life this way for years to come’.”

Mitigating, Christopher Pix said the defendant had always shown his remorse in his police interview, to probation and when giving evidence at trial.

He added Szajca was of previous good character and wanted to pay compensation to the victim.

Judge Robert Pawson sentenced Szajca to two years imprisonment.

He said: “However it started, you jumped in, you used significant, unlawful force to knock another man to the ground.

“Your victim was totally blameless. He wanted some alone time, was not aggressive and behaved without blame.

“You were drunk and waded in unnecessarily, knocked him to the ground, caused him significant head trauma, you then punched him when he was unconscious.

“He posed nobody any threat and was unable to defend himself. Your victim has been caused permanent injury.

“It seems to me, given the background and the facts, drunken violence, this offence can only be dealt with by way of immediate custody.”