Man guilty of murder bid after woman's head 'kicked like football'

Andy Hurns is due to be sentenced in April

A man who repeatedly kicked and stamped on a woman's face in a "frenzied and sustained" attack has been found guilty of attempted murder.

Nottinghamshire Police said Andy Hurns forced his way into the victim's home in Retford on 24 November 2020.

He struck her with his fists before kicking and stamping on her with steel toe-capped shoes, the force added.

A witness woken by the disturbance said Hurns kicked the woman's head "as if he was kicking a football".

Officers called to the address in Tunnel Road witnessed "a shocking scene", with significant amounts of blood on the floor and walls.

The victim, who was found with life-threatening injuries, was taken to hospital where she spent weeks.

She suffered multiple facial fractures and needed emergency surgery to breathe.

'Appalling attack'

Police said Hurns fled from an upstairs window and was arrested shortly after he had taken a shower and placed his bloodied clothes in a washing machine.

The 32-year-old claimed to have been too drunk to remember what happened, the force said, but later admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent but denied intending to kill his victim.

Hurns, of Edgbaston Drive, Retford, was convicted of attempted murder following a trial at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday.

He will be sentenced on 11 April.

Det Insp Stuart Temple said: "This was an appalling attack in which a woman was repeatedly kicked in the head and face as she lay defenceless on the ground. The level of violence used and the injuries sustained were shocking even to the most experienced officers who worked on this case.

"Hurns is a large and powerful man who launched an unprovoked, frenzied and sustained attack on a far smaller woman who was completely unable to defend herself."