Jamie Kelly's mother speaks of her family's anguish

This is the full personal statement of Jamie Kelly's mother Brenda about how Daniel George Johnson changed her family's life.

“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.

“I immediately felt utter panic then dread and began to shake.

“My husband, Mike, was sat next to me and could hear the conversation as I always put the speakerphone on as I'm hard of hearing.

“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 in itself, but never in a million years do you think it would happen to your family, especially your child.

The moment Daniel George Johnson (white top) caused life changing injuries with a single punch to Jamie Kelly

“I tried to calm myself down as Jamie's dad was telling me that he had to have surgery but that he needed to be transferred to Hull Hospital.

“Before he could be transferred, he needed to be put in an induced coma for his own safety - he was in a critical condition.

“I was an emotional mess on the phone, all I could imagine was that Jamie wasn't going to wake up and that I might never see my son alive again.

“Jamie's dad said he'd ring me whenever he had news, but he also asked if I could ring our daughter and tell her what had happened.

“I was in no fit state to talk to Chelle, I could not stop sobbing or catch my breath and was shaking so hard, so my husband said that he'd ring her and let her know about her brother.

“My daughter was the person who rang around family to tell them, as I was incapable of forming a cohesive sentence.

“Waiting for the phone call from Jamie's dad to tell me if the surgery had been successful or whether my boy was no longer with us was absolutely horrific.

“Michael rang me to tell me that Jamie had come out of surgery, but he also said that Jamie was still in a critical condition and on a ventilator.

“The thought of Jamie being on life support was so frightening. Michael told me that a large piece of Jamie's skull had been removed and it wouldn't be replaced until the swelling etc in his brain would be normal. It was going to be a waiting game.

The moment Daniel George Johnson (white top) caused life changing injuries with a single punch to Jamie Kelly

“I live in Spennymoor, County Durham, I felt miles away. I just kept thinking what if he dies, I need to be with him.

“We quickly packed a bag and jumped in the car. We were in the petrol station filling up when Jamie's dad rang again to tell me that due to Covid, Jamie was only going to be allowed one visitor.

“His dad lives in Scarborough so it only made sense that he would be the one to be at Jamie's bedside.

“My heart was breaking, not only was my son going through possibly the toughest time of his life but me, his mam, wasn't allowed to be there at his side while he tried to recover from his surgery.

“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.

“I wasn't allowed to see my boy for eight long weeks.

“I couldn't leave the house as I just kept breaking down in tears as we didn't know whether he would make it. The possibility of my son dying was a constant fear due to how poorly he was.

“I was in such a state. I felt like I was in a different world - I was here...but I wasn't, I was like a zombie. My husband was my rock, if it wasn't for his support trying to function from one day to the next, it would have been even harder.

The moment Daniel George Johnson (white top) caused life changing injuries with a single punch to Jamie Kelly

“After eight weeks we were told Jamie was going to be transferred back to Scarborough.

“He was only there four days as the hospital didn't have the resources to take care of him.

“Again, Covid prevented both me and Jamie's dad from visiting and it was heart-breaking knowing he was alone, none of us could hold his hand.

“He was transferred to York General Hospital High Dependency Unit which meant, at long last, I could visit my boy!

“Seeing Jamie for the first time was a massive shock to the system. My eyes were immediately drawn to his head.

“I expected his head to be bandaged but it took my breath away to see that it looked like he only had half of his head.

“I didn't expect the amount of his skull missing to be as severe as it looked. He looked like his head was sunken on one side.

“He had a tracheotomy as well as a feeding tube fitted. The anti-seizure medication and damage done to his brain meant that he was in a constant deep sleep.

“Looking at my boy so helpless was extremely emotional, the tears running down my face wouldn't stop.

“I was happy to see Jamie but that was over-shadowed by the heartache we were going though as a family.

“We thought Jamie was recovering but then the neurologist looking after him told me that he was still critical and, if he got better, there was a concern that Jamie would never live an independent life again.

“I felt like I'd been sucker punched, the light at the end of the tunnel wasn't shining as brightly anymore.

“Then Jamie shocked us all.

“Within a few weeks he started to open his eyes, then obeying simple commands.

“His tracheotomy was removed and within a couple of days he started trying to talk.

“As ecstatic as we were, we noticed that Jamie had a severe tremor, which meant he couldn't do things such as feed himself. One of his eyes turned outwards on a severe angle, which meant he needed special glasses to help him see. This in addition to him not being able to stand or walk.

“He's recently been transferred to Woodlands Rehab Centre with the hope of them being able to help him begin to recover some of the functions that a person needs to live a successful independent life.

“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.

Daniel George Johnson jailed for grievous bodily harm with intent

“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.

Read about the sentence Johnson got here