Neighbour broke man’s nose, jaw and cheekbone in playing field attack

Coalville: A dad was just enjoying a nice evening in the park with his family when his neighbour, Kevin Simms, suddenly punched him. The hit was so hard it broke his nose, jaw, and cheekbone. They had been friends before, but things had soured recently.

According to the court, there had been some tension leading up to the attack. Simms had even moved the victim’s bin in front of his door. Then, on May 17, things escalated. The victim was celebrating a family birthday when they decided to take the kids to the playground.

Simms and his family were also out that evening. CCTV footage showed Simms approaching the victim and delivering a brutal upper-cut punch. The poor guy was left bleeding heavily, and kids nearby witnessed the whole thing.

The prosecutor mentioned that there was a brief chat before the punch, where Simms asked the victim to take a walk, but he refused. The victim’s kids were shouting at Simms to leave their dad alone as he bled profusely.

After the attack, the victim lost so much blood that he nearly passed out at home and had to go to the hospital. He’s still dealing with the effects of the attack eight months later.

In a statement, the victim talked about ongoing pain and psychological issues like flashbacks and anxiety. He’s even moved away because he just wants to stay indoors now. The injuries he suffered could affect him for life.

Simms, who’s 46 and has a history of previous convictions, claimed the attack was out of character for him. His lawyer argued that he’s been a better person since marrying his wife. But the judge wasn’t having it. She pointed out that he attacked someone he once called a friend in front of children.

Simms received a 22-month sentence, which is suspended for two years. He’s also required to do 260 hours of community service and participate in a probation program. The judge wanted him to pay £1,000 in compensation, but he couldn’t afford it, so he’ll pay £250 in court costs instead.