A MAN beat up his friend so badly he was “blacking out” and “foaming at the mouth” on his journey to hospital.

Joshua Ward, 20, had thrown multiple punches at the man, leaving him with a dislocated shoulder, split eyebrow and a suspected broken nose.

A judge described it as “sustained and unnecessary violence” used in a “regrettable incident among friends”.

The defendant appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on Monday, February 5, after admitting a charge of affray.

Prosecuting, Matthew Mortimer said the incident had started at Ward’s flat in Bournemouth on the evening of September 22, 2022.

The defendant, who had been drinking, “became verbally abusive” towards his girlfriend, the court heard.

A third person in the flat, a friend of both Ward and his girlfriend, decided to leave the couple alone in their argument.

But on her way to the door, she was grabbed from behind by Ward and “placed in a headlock”.

Ward “squeezed on her neck”, causing her to briefly black out and leaving her with red marks on her neck.

Once able to escape from Ward, she ran to her own flat - which was located in the same apartment block – and told her boyfriend what happened.

The boyfriend, also a friend of the defendant, then confronted Ward on what happened.

A fight broke out between the two, seeing Ward grab the man’s arm and punch him multiple times, before “getting him in a chokehold”.

Mr Mortimer said the man “thought he was going to die” during the assault and was taken to A&E by his mother shortly after.

The mother described how on the journey to hospital, he was "foaming at the mouth". 

The court heard how Ward had no previous convictions but two previous cautions for actual bodily harm and a public order offence.

Defending, Nick Robinson noted his client had been diagnosed with ADHD. He told the court: “He wasn’t coping with the symptoms, and in drink, didn’t regulate his emotions and they governed his actions that night.

"This was a spontaneous incident perpetrated against his closest friend of seven years.

“He regrets his behaviour and the harm caused to his friends. The guilty plea he hopes goes some way to show that.

“He was 19 at the time. He has moved forward quite significantly since the offending."

Summarising, Judge Jonathan Fuller KC said: “I’ve read the victim impact statement and I’ve seen the pictures to [the female victim’s neck]. Fortunately the incident didn’t go any further.

“There was sustained and unnecessary violence, and two people that were subjected to it.

“For young people who have any degree of mental stability, that combo of alcohol and drugs can lead to serious consequences, so I hope you’ve learnt your lesson.

“Among friends, it was a very regrettable incident that took place.”

Ward, of Moorside Road in Bournemouth, was given a nine month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.