A PARTYGOER suffered a life-threatening brain injury when he was surrounded and struck "a forceful blow" to the head on his way home, a jury heard yesterday.

Craig Kaye, 40, was still in hospital nine months later and his "outlook was bleak", Bradford Crown Court was told.

He cannot stand unaided, he needs help to sit in a chair and he has undergone speech and language therapy.

Two men and a youth are on trial accused of causing Mr Kaye, of Great Horton Road, Bradford, grievous bodily harm with intent in the early hours of September 1, last year.

Warren Smith, 46, of Hillam Street, Great Horton; Andrew Sibson, 39, of Northdale Mount, Wibsey, and a 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named because of his age, all deny the offence.

Prosecutor Graham Reeds told the jury the teenager had admitted the lesser offence of causing grievous bodily harm. Smith and Sibson denied that offence.

Smith had pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by lying to the police about what happened. Sibson denied the charge.

Mr Reeds said the three defendants went on "an organised search" for Mr Kaye after he hit a16-year-old boy at the party in Brooksbank Avenue, Great Horton, that night.

Mr Kaye had been drinking strong cider and had taken 12 Valium tablets.

He set off home with his wife, Anne-Marie, but she arrived back without him.

Sibson and then Smith turned up at the couple's home wanting to speak to Mr Kaye, the court was told. It is alleged they drove in convoy, with the youth, searching for him.

They saw Mr Kaye walking bare-chested on Hollybank Road and confronted him.

The teenager, who was 16 at the time, knocked him down and aimed a kick or stamp at him, and all three surrounded him.

After Mr Kaye got to his feet, the youth strode up and "struck him a very forceful and well-aimed blow to his face with his fist," the jury was told.

Mr Kaye went straight down on to the pavement, suffering a fractured skull and a significant brain injury needing life-saving surgery at Leeds General Infirmary.

"He survived his injuries but his outlook is bleak," Mr Reeds said.

The victim has had five more operations but was still in hospital.

The jury was told that Mr Kaye had a history of drugs misuse and alcohol abuse.

He was on a ventilator after the attack and being fed by tube.

"He will have significant deficits that will probably prevent him from being independent for the rest of his life," Mr Reeds said.

Mr Kaye had a titanium plate inserted into his skull. He could now talk and recognise family members but he had short-term memory disturbance.

The Crown alleges it was a group attack by the three defendants, acting together as a joint enterprise.

"All three shared a common intent that Craig Kaye was caused really serious harm," Mr Reeds said.

"They acted together to cut off his escape and attacked him as a group. Each person remained at the scene until he was caused really serious harm."

The trial continues.