'Thug' who launched 'sickening' stamping attack jailed

Jon Moir subjected his victim to "sickening" violence, police said

A "violent thug" who knocked a man unconscious before striking him more than 40 times as he lay unconscious in an apparently unprovoked attack has been jailed.

Jon Moir, 49, subjected his victim to the "sickening" ambush in King Street, Blackburn, on 22 February, Lancashire Police said.

Moir, of New Wellington Street, was jailed for 11 years and two months at Preston Crown Court after admitting two counts of assault causing grievous bodily harm.

In a statement, his victim said: "I am scared to go out on the streets in the evening, it seems very dangerous to me, and I am scared I might be killed."

Describing Moir as an "extremely violent individual" Det Con Lee Swales, said: "This was a sickening attack on a wholly innocent man."

He added: "Despite his best efforts to escape Moir, the victim suffered around 40 separate blows – some while he lay on the ground unconscious."

Moir's victim said the attack had damaged a nerve next to his eye and he still has headaches, chest pains and problems breathing.

CCTV footage showed the victim, who had walked to the Polish Shop on King Street, was knocked to the floor after Moir, who was with two as yet unidentified men, came out of a nearby Shisha Bar and punched him on the side of his head .

Repeated kicking

One of the unidentified men chased after the man as he tried to escape and hit him twice to the back of the head, knocking him forward into a vehicle and on to the floor.

Moir then kicked him in the head two or three times as he lay.

One of the unknown men started to drag the prone victim away from Moir down the street.

However, Moir returned and kicked him in the head two more times while he was still lying unconscious.

A few minutes later Moir kicked the victim three more times.

The victim managed to get back to his feet, but as he was stumbling away, another unknown man hit him. Moir returned and hits the victim a further 11 times.

The victim also suffered fractured eye socket and a fractured nose in two places.

Det Con Swales said Moir was "lucky" not to be facing a murder charge.