Hull, England — A man has been sentenced to four years in prison for a violent street robbery that left his victim unconscious. Nathan High, 33, attacked the victim with a flurry of punches and kicks, ultimately stealing cash and a mobile phone during the brutal encounter.
The incident, which occurred on July 29, was captured on CCTV footage that later aided in High’s arrest. Prosecutors revealed that the victim had recently left a hostel seeking medical assistance when he crossed paths with High on a street in west Hull. Due to the severity of his injuries, the victim could not recall many details from the attack.
The footage showed the two men confronting each other, with indications that the victim may have initiated the confrontation. However, it quickly escalated as High began to aggressively assault the victim, leading him to the ground where he continued to deliver blows even after he had stopped moving.
Witnesses and the CCTV footage revealed that High momentarily paused the assault to rifling through the victim’s belongings. The attack resulted in the victim sustaining significant injuries, including a broken tooth and lacerations to his lip and nose, after which he was left motionless on the pavement for over two minutes.
High stole approximately £40 in cash and the victim’s mobile phone before fleeing the scene. Law enforcement swiftly identified him from the surveillance images captured during the incident, and he was apprehended shortly thereafter. During his police interview, High declined to comment on the allegations.
In court, it was revealed that this was not High’s first brush with the law. He had a lengthy criminal record, including 27 prior offenses, with charges ranging from wounding and grievous bodily harm to carrying a knife. High was on remand prior to the sentencing following his appearance in magistrates’ court.
His defense attorney argued that High had pleaded guilty at an early stage of the proceedings and had been in custody since his prior court appearance. Despite these mitigating factors, the severity of the crime and High’s history of violence weighed heavily in the court’s decision.
In delivering the sentence, the judge emphasized the seriousness of the assault and the impact it had on the victim, stating that such acts of violence would not be tolerated in the community. The four-year sentence aims to serve as both punishment and deterrence for similar violent crimes.