Shocking moment callous thug knocks out vulnerable man with single punch ‘for Facebook likes’
A VILE brute knocked out a vulnerable man with a single punch in front of his laughing pal. Hefin Parker, 22, floored his victim, who has learning difficulties, in a sickening clip filmed by his laughing friend. Callous accomplice Ellis Kelman, 19, posted the footage on Facebook and Snapchat for “entertainment and amusement”, Swansea Crown […]
A VILE brute knocked out a vulnerable man with a single punch in front of his laughing pal.
Hefin Parker, 22, floored his victim, who has learning difficulties, in a sickening clip filmed by his laughing friend.
Callous accomplice Ellis Kelman, 19, posted the footage on Facebook and Snapchat for “entertainment and amusement”, Swansea Crown Court heard.
Both men were reported to cops when the video was shared hundreds of times.
The shocking footage showed thug Parker encouraging his victim to hit him in the face before telling him to put his “hands down” and punching him to the head.
Parker was seen swinging a hard blow at the man which sent him crashing to the floor at a bust stop in Ammanford, South Wales.
Footage shows the violent yob taunt his helpless victim: “Go on, just one punch. Just one punch. Hands down. Hands down. One punch. I’ll give you twenty.”
The horror attack took place at a bus stop in on July 2 and was viewed 70,000 times online as horrified members of the pubic called in police.
A court heard Parker was arrested later that day and Kelman attended a voluntary interview.
He told officers he had just been “having a laugh” and he had not meant for the footage to be seen on social media.
‘HAVING A LAUGH’
Parker, of Ammanford, admitted actual bodily harm and was jailed for 14 months at Swansea Crown Court.
Kelman, of Llangennech, pleaded guilty to encouraging/assisting in the commission of an assault. He was handed a suspended sentence and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
Prosecutor Paul Hobson told Swansea Crown Court that Parker and the 41-year-old victim had been friends for a number of years and on the day in question had been out drinking in Ammanford together.
The three men then made their way to Ammanford bus station to catch a service home.
Mr Hobson said while at the station Parker began “goading” his friend and getting him to strike him before saying “now it’s my turn” and delivering a powerful punch to his victim’s face which knocked him out cold.
The man fell to the floor unconscious and Parker tried to drag him into a seated position.
Parker’s lawyer Dyfed Thomas said his client had expressed a “considerable degree of contrition and remorse” and knew he should not have done what he did.
To have carried out such an attack for no apparent reason on a vulnerable member of our community was totally unacceptable.
Detective Sergeant Rebecca Thomas
He said at the age of 22, the defendant was realising he has to change his ways.
James Hartson, for Kelman, said the defendant had not known Parker or the victim prior to meeting them in an Ammanford pub on the day in question.
He said his client was “particularly immature and naive” for his age, and both he and parents were mortified by what he had done.
Judge Paul Thomas QC told the defendants they should be “thoroughly ashamed” of themselves.
He described the attack by Parker as “a callous act of casual violence carried out for entertainment and amusement” and said Kelman’s actions in filming and sharing the assault were “cowardly and heartless”.
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Speaking after the sentence, temporary Detective Sergeant Rebecca Thomas said: “To have carried out such an attack for no apparent reason on a vulnerable member of our community was totally unacceptable.
“I am comforted by the fact that so many members of our local community picked up the phone to make us aware of this incident and the video they had seen on social media.
“I thank each and every person who got in touch. This allowed police officers to take swift action and made this court result possible.”
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