Jail for drunken man who punched woman to floor on city centre street

Kyle Palmer, 29, was drunk when he attacked the woman outside a pub on Ivegate in October last year.

His victim had approached another man in Palmer's group asking for a light shortly before the incident happened.

Bradford Crown Court heard how the defendant and his group thought she had been rude and took offence, and some pushing took place between the two groups.

Prosecutor Gareth Henderson-Moore described how Palmer adopted a boxing stance and "without warning threw a punch" at the woman, who fell to the floor, hitting her head and losing consciousness.

He waited until she got up, before punching her for second time and this left her fully unconscious. She suffered a fractured foot and a cut lip in the attack and was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary for treatment.

A witness also described Palmer swinging a kick towards the victim, though they could not be certain whether it connected or not.

Palmer, of Thorndale Rise, Kings Road, Bradford, was arrested within minutes and went on to kick the arresting police officer in the leg twice.

Kyle Palmer. Picture: West Yorkshire Police

The officer was in pain but had no lasting injury.

The defendant admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assaulting an emergency worker by beating, and was jailed for two years in total.

It emerged that Palmer was in breach of a suspended sentence order imposed in February last year for aggravated vehicle taking. That sentence was for three months, suspended for a year.

The court was also told that he had sought help for his drinking issues and anger management.

In sentencing, Judge Andrew Hatton said that what had taken place was effectively a "sustained attack".

"You were drinking that evening, out with friends and you clearly had far too much to drink," he said.

"Also out was a woman out with her friends. There was some engagement between her group and your group in the evening, which turned unpleasant at times.

"You adopted a boxing stance and threw a punch, sending her to the floor, where you followed it up with another punch and some other blows thereafter.

Bradford Crown Court

He added that he had also been aggressive with a police officer carrying out his duty.

Of the suspended sentence, and the deterrent therein, he added: "That should have been very much at the forefront of your mind."

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