‘One punch destroyed my son’s life’: Mother’s agony after man left with half a skull

Jamie Kelly been left with life-changing injuries and is unable to walk or stand after assault by Daniel George Johnson

Jamie Kelly has been left with half a skull after being punched once in the head (North Yorkshire Police)

A mother has spoken of her devastation after her son lost half his skull after being punched once in the head.

Jamie Kelly, 41, was standing at a pedestrian crossing at 1.28pm on Ramshill Road in Scarborough when he was assaulted by Daniel George Johnson.

He suffered a severe head injury and is likely to require specialist care for the rest of his life, despite neurosurgeons battling to treat a serious bleed on his brain.

He was punched to the ground by Daniel Johnson at a pedestrian crossing in Scarborough (North Yorkshire Police)

His family has now partnered with North Yorkshire Police and the charity One Punch UK, which aims to prevent tragic deaths and injuries caused by a drunken punch.

“On the afternoon of Wednesday 16 September 2021, I received an emotional phone call from Jamie’s dad Michael - my ex-husband - telling me that Jamie had been punched unexpectedly which had caused him to fall and hit his head off the ground resulting in him being taken to Scarborough Hospital,” Jamie’s mother Brenda said.

“I immediately felt utter panic then dread and began to shake. Jamie’s dad then went on to say that Jamie had just had a scan and it showed a massive bleed on the brain.

“I felt completely numb, all I could think was that I was going to lose my boy - this sort of thing is what you hear about happening to other people, which is heart-breaking, but never in a million years do you think it would happen to your family, especially your child.”

Mr Kelly’s father rushed to be at his side, and was informed that he was being taken to Hull Royal Infirmary for a life-saving operation.

Neurologists were able to remove the left side of his skull to stop a severe brain bleed, but Jamie’s family were informed that he was “seriously ill”.

Mr Kelly’s mother was unable to visit him for the first eight weeks due to Covid restrictions (North Yorkshire Police)

Due to Covid restrictions, only his father was able to be at his bedside during the first eight weeks.

“All I wanted to do was to hold his hand, talk to him and tell him everything was going to be alright...to give him a kiss and tell him I was here, but I couldn’t,” his mother said.

She was eventually able to see him after he was transferred to York General Hospital High Dependency Unit, where his family was warned there was a concern he would never be able to live an independent life again.

To aid with his recovery, Jamie had a tracheotomy and a feeding tube fitted, and was placed on anti-seizure medication.

By December, he was awake and able to obey simple commands, with his tracheostomy eventually removed and his diet moved to normal foods.

He is currently based at the Woodlands Neurological Rehabilitation Centre in York, where his recovery continues. However, his injuries have left him with a severe tremor, difficulties with his eyesight and he is unable to stand or walk.

He has recently had surgery to put a titanium plate in his head to replace where his skull should have been (North Yorkshire Police)

“Jamie still cannot get out of bed and into the wheelchair by himself,” Mr Kelly said. “He still cannot dress or shower himself and go to the toilet himself. It is very hard to accept for Jamie as he is a proud man and desperate for independence.

“The injury to Jamie’s brain has resulted in his body being racked with severe shakes, so much so that he cannot feed himself without his meal being thrown off the fork or spoon.

“I have also had to purchase special cups to allow Jamie to have a drink without soaking his clothes.

“The hospital disabled cups were not suitable as the contents were still being thrown all over as his shakes are that severe. He also cannot grip anything and is constantly dropping things.

During a court appearance at York Crown Court, Daniel Johnson, 34, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of Section 20 grievous bodily harm and has been jailed for two years and five months.

“When I look at my son, what I should see, what I want to see, is a strong, fit, happy, independent 41-year-old man,” Brenda said.

Daniel George Johnson has been jailed for two years and five months (North Yorkshire Police)

“But all I do see, due to a violent punch that Daniel Johnson inflicted on him, is a shell of a man. A man who has to drink from a non-spill sippy cup, who needs help eating because of tremors wrack his entire body. He can’t go to the toilet or shower himself.

“My son needs to learn to walk again because Daniel Johnson decided he would punch him, obviously intending to hurt him.

“Jamie has so many mountains to climb due to medical issues caused by Daniel Johnson.

“What our family has gone though, and is still going through, is senseless. This is all because one so-called man thought that violence was OK.

“Does Daniel Johnson realise that his actions alone have ensured my son has life limiting injuries? Jamie  needs justice, I need justice, my family needs justice. One punch - that’s all it took to destroy my boy’s life as he knew it.”

The charity One Punch UK is running a campaign targeting men aged 18 to 35 at pubs, bars, gyms and sports clubs over the summer holdiays, with a focus on secondary school children in September.