Jail for man who kicked woman in the head

2:00pm Tuesday 7th October 2008

AN apprentice’s “act of sheer brutality” when he kicked a young woman on the ground has put him behind bars.

Robert Mark Kingdon grabbed Rebecca Gill’s handbag and threw it into the river from Ouse Bridge, said prosecutor Simon Ostler at York Crown Court.

When she followed him to object, he attacked her in Castlegate car park, shortly after 2am on February 7, and kicked her repeatedly on the ground, including a kick to the head.

After watching a CCTV recording of the incident, Judge Peter Hunt said: “I defy anyone who has seen the film I have seen not to be affected by the violence. The final kick was an act of sheer brutality.”

He jailed Kingdon for six months after the 22-year-old apprentice from Church Street, Skipton, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

Miss Gill suffered a black eye, cuts and bruises.

For Kingdon, Paul Fleming said: “This was clearly something done when staggering around in drink.”

The 22-year-old had acted out of character because he had lost his temper and been frustrated by events leading up to the car park incident.

Miss Gill had taken offence about a comment she had mistakenly believed was directed at her and objected.

The court heard the two were part of different groups that encountered each other in the city centre after both had been drinking.

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