Man jailed two years for vicious one-punch attack during taxi misunderstanding

Image credit: Cumbria Police

A man who delivered a single, unprovoked punch that left his victim needing life-saving brain surgery has been sentenced to over two years in prison.

Liam McConnell, 29, received a 27-month prison sentence at Carlisle Crown Court after pleading guilty to a Section 20 Grievous Bodily Harm charge. The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday 14 April 2024 in Whitehaven.

McConnell had been travelling in a taxi with another individual when they stopped at the corner of George Street and Church Street. Upon exiting the taxi, McConnell became inexplicably aggressive towards a man who approached the vehicle, hoping to use it to get home.

McConnell reportedly shouted at the man, asking, “What the f--- do you think you’re doing?” When the victim explained that he was “just trying to get home”, McConnell responded with a single punch to the head, knocking the man to the ground where his head hit the concrete.

Despite the severity of the situation, McConnell walked away, leaving the victim in need of urgent medical assistance. The man was taken to West Cumberland Hospital and later transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where he underwent emergency brain surgery for a subdural haematoma.

Detective Constable Benjamin Agnew said: “This was a completely unprovoked assault which has left the victim with injuries that will impact the rest of his life.

“Time and again we see the life-altering impact that a single punch can have – not just on the victim but the person throwing the punch.”