Single punch that ruined Scarborough man Jamie Kelly's life - his attacker Daniel Johnson is jailed

“One punch - that's all it took to destroy my boy’s life.”
By Court Reporter
Published 7th Mar 2022, 16:41 BST
Updated 7th Mar 2022, 17:06 BST
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Those are the words of a heart-broken mother whose son was the victim of a one-punch attack in Scarborough.

The victim’s devastated dad drove more than 9,000 miles while visiting his son every day in hospital as medics worked tirelessly to save his life following severe head injury.

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Jamie Kelly lost half of his skull while neurosurgeons were treating a bleed on his brain at Hull Royal Infirmary.

Jamie Kelly, left, and CCTV of the incident which led to his catastrophic injuries.Jamie Kelly, left, and CCTV of the incident which led to his catastrophic injuries.
Jamie Kelly, left, and CCTV of the incident which led to his catastrophic injuries.

The 41-year-old from Scarborough is showing slow yet encouraging signs of improvement, but the severity of his injuries means he is likely to require specialist care for the rest of his days.

The man responsible for Jamie’s condition is Daniel George Johnson, aged 32, of Cromwell Terrace, Scarborough.

At 1.28pm on Wednesday September 16 last year, Johnson punched Mr Kelly in the head while they were near a pedestrian crossing on Ramshill Road.

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One punch led to utter devastation for Mr Kelly, his mum Brenda, dad Michael, sister Michelle and all their family and friends.

Left: Jamie Kelly lost half of his skull while neurosurgeons were treating a bleed on his brain. Right: His attacker, Daniel George Johnson, has been jailed.Left: Jamie Kelly lost half of his skull while neurosurgeons were treating a bleed on his brain. Right: His attacker, Daniel George Johnson, has been jailed.
Left: Jamie Kelly lost half of his skull while neurosurgeons were treating a bleed on his brain. Right: His attacker, Daniel George Johnson, has been jailed.

Johnson was arrested nearby and was later charged with Section 18 wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

However, the court accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of Section 20 grievous bodily harm.

Today, Johnson was sentenced at York Crown Court to two years and five months’ imprisonment at York Crown Court.

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Det Con Peter Day, of Scarborough and Ryedale CID, led the investigation into the assault and has provided support to Mr Kelly's parents throughout the ordeal.

He said: “This has been a truly horrendous experience for Jamie and especially for his parents who thought they were going to lose their son.

“No outcome at court will undo the devastation that Johnson caused with one punch.

“The victim personal statements of Jamie’s parents were read out in court during the sentencing. Brenda and Michael have given their blessing for North Yorkshire Police to publish the statements on the force website and on social media to show the full catastrophic impact this one punch attack has had.

“I urge people to read them and make sure younger members of the family learn from this case.”