Man jailed over 'depraved' attack on homeless manFri, November 13, 2026 at 6:51 PM UTC
Christian Watson was jailed for over four years the attack in Scarborough last year
A man has been jailed for what a judge called a "barbaric, sick and depraved" attack on a homeless man as he lay unconscious on the ground.
The victim was kicked, punched and stamped on in the unprovoked attack in Scarborough on 3 July last year by Christian Watson and Fallon Johnston, York Crown Court was told.
Sentencing Watson, 24, from Kirstall in Leeds, and Johnston, 20, from Blackpool, Judge Sean Morris said the victim, from Scarborough, was "lucky to be alive" after the injuries they had inflicted.
Watson was jailed for four years and eight months, while Johnston was given a three-year community order.
Prosecutor Catherine Duffy had told the court that Watson and Johnston, who were engaged at the time, had been sitting beside the victim outside a coffee shop at St Nicholas Cliff at about 01:30 BST on the day of the attack.
Without warning, Johnston got up and kicked him in the "torso or face", she explained.
"Johnston continued to kick him while he was on the floor, before Watson grabbed him by the head and pushed his head down onto the floor," Duffy said.
There then followed an all-out assault on the man where Johnston "kicked the victim eight times".
Watson then stamped on the prone victim and kicked him in the face before taking a "run-up" and kicking the man in a "soccer kick", the prosecutor said.
He then kicked him "several times" more to the face and body and stamped on him.
'Indescribable pain'
CCTV footage seen by the court showed the victim was unconscious "for most of the assault" and his body remained "limp and lifeless", Duffy said.
Watson then stepped onto a ledge or small wall and jumped onto the victim, using his "entire body weight" to jump onto his body.
As Watson and Johnston left the scene, CCTV showed them "hugging and kissing just seconds after the attack".
The court heard that police later traced the couple to the Royal Hotel in Nicholas Street where they had booked a room.
The couple, who have since separated, were arrested at the hotel as they were checking out later that same morning.
The victim was taken to Scarborough Hospital with a catalogue of serious injuries including a brain haemorrhage, a broken nose, swelling to both eye sockets, a suspected fracture to his breastbone and possible bleeding around his heart, the court was told.
His condition was so serious that he was transferred to the Major Trauma Department at Hull Royal Infirmary for cardiological and neurological surgery.
The court heard that there was no medical update on the victim's condition because he had since left the country.
However, the prosecution read out a statement made by the victim before he left the UK, in which the man said the pain before he blacked out was "indescribable".
The pair were sentenced at York Crown Court on Friday
The court heard that Watson had a history of violence, including battery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assaulting police.
Watson's barrister, Jeremy Barton, said his client had long-standing mental health issues made worse by drug use, but added that nothing could excuse the "appalling" attack on the homeless man.
Sentencing Watson, Morris described the attack as "barbaric, sick and depraved".
He told Watson: "You are before the court for the most brutal attack on a vulnerable, lone street sleeper. Your victim is lucky to be alive."
He added: "You and your female companion, for no reason, launched a long, prolonged and vicious attack upon him, both of you, taking it in turns to kick his prone, unconscious body.
"You would have been up for murder if he had died and he could easily have died. I'm convinced you intended to cause more harm than actually happened."
The judge warned Watson he was now "a marked man".
'Genuine remorse'
Defence barrister Rachel Webster, for Johnston, said her client, who had never been in trouble before, was now pregnant and in a new relationship.
She urged the judge not to send Johnston to jail in keeping with current guidelines for sentencing pregnant women and young mothers.
Sentencing her, Morris told Johnston she had acted "like a barbarian".
"Under the heavy influence of drink and drugs, you behaved in a way you had had never behaved in your life and you were part of a vicious attack on a helpless man," he said.
"It's quite clear that you were led off the rails by your co-accused."
The judge said that were it not for the fact she was pregnant, Johnston would be going to jail rather than being given a community order with a mental health treatment programme.
Morris said he had also taken her "genuine remorse", early guilty plea and clean record into consideration.
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HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Source: Crime
