Moment clubber knocked out with single punch in Liverpool

A clubber was left with life-changing injuries by a single punch caught on CCTV in a city centre attack.

Roy Croft viciously assaulted 39-year-old Paul German at 5am in the unprovoked attack in Liverpool last November, as this horrendous footage shows. 

Croft, from Tranmere, was yesterday jailed for 20 months for the attack, which left his victim with a bleed on the brain.

Roy Croft viciously assaulted 39-year-old Paul German at 5am in the unprovoked attack in Liverpool last November, as this horrendous footage shows

A fast left hook floored children’s worker Mr German, who then cracked his head on the hard concrete outside the Heaven Bar, an LGBT venue, in Victoria Street. 

Crown advocate Simon Duncan, prosecuting at Liverpool Crown Court, said: ‘This was an entirely unprovoked attack on Paul German, who was simply about to get into a taxi with his partner, John Millar, as they were leaving the Heaven Bar, in Victoria Street.

‘After the incident, Croft fled and left in another taxi. The impact of the attack was such that Mr German could not recall what had happened to him.

‘A single left punch from Croft had knocked Mr German to the floor, resulting in bruising and bleeding to the brain.

‘He remained in hospital for two weeks and thankfully recovered.

‘However, he now has to wear two hearing aids and spectacles as a result of an attack that he had done absolutely nothing to cause.’

A fast left hook floored children's worker Mr German, who then cracked his head on the hard concrete outside the Heaven Bar, an LGBT venue, in Victoria Street

A fast left hook floored children’s worker Mr German, who then cracked his head on the hard concrete outside the Heaven Bar, an LGBT venue, in Victoria Street

In an emotional victim personal statement, Mr German stood up in court and told how his life had changed forever as a result of the assault, and led to a catalogue of emotional and mental health worries.

Prosecutors concluded the attack was not homophobic, but that is not a view shared by Mr German, who believes the offence against him had the hallmarks of a hate crime.

Croft only came forward to hand himself in once the hunt for him was publicised in the press and a CCTV photo of the attacker went viral.

He initially tried to claim the punch was sparked from an argument over a taxi, claiming he ‘felt threatened’, but that was rejected by Recorder Andrew McLouglin.

Mr German was stretchered away in front of his stunned friends while 40-year-old Croft went on the run.

He told the court: ‘While being in hospital for two weeks, all I can say was, to me, it was like hell on earth, lying in bed doing nothing but worry  about what could have happened.

Mr German(pictured) was stretchered away in front of his stunned friends while 40-year-old Croft went on the run

Roy Croft, Liverpool punch attacker

Mr German(left) was stretchered away in front of his stunned friends while 40-year-old Croft went on the run

‘All I wanted to do was go home to the safety of my own home. When I got home, I then discovered I was not even me.

‘I was just a shell… all the pieces of me were missing.

‘I have worked in the industry as a licensee/manager for over 20 years and I have been the one making the calls to police and ambulance, never thinking I would ever be in that situation.’

Mr German said he became so paranoid and scared he could not leave the house alone and had to have therapy before he could even cross a road.

He added: ‘I feel a shadow of my former self and that someone has dimmed out a light in me that, as hard as I try, may never come back.

‘I feel there were two Pauls – the Paul before the attack, and the Paul after – and I can never have the authentic Paul I was back.

‘Basically, I feel raped, but in a different way, this man has stripped me of my confidence, being sure of myself, able to help others, to be able to walk down the road at ease.

‘I used to think of myself as an outstandingly strong, positive person, but the only way to describe it now is like a scared, very fragile vase, that could break or shatter at any time.’

Mr German said he became so paranoid and scared he could not leave the house alone and had to have therapy before he could even cross a road. Pictured: A woman pushes Mr Croft away after the punch

Mr German said he became so paranoid and scared he could not leave the house alone and had to have therapy before he could even cross a road. Pictured: A woman pushes Mr Croft away after the punch

John Ballam, defending Croft, claimed his client was remorseful about the attack and shameful, adding: ‘It was a single blow to the head of the complainant – it’s clearly a misunderstanding.’

Recorder McLouglin was urged to show leniency, but he told the barrister: ‘This offence is so serious that I’m not prepared to suspend the sentence.’

Croft, who admitted causing grievous bodily harm, was also spared paying compensation to the victim. 

He has past convictions for assaulting a police constable, common assault and battery, but had stayed out of trouble during the past 15 years. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk