Thug jailed for vicious assault in Gateshead

A vicious thug who left his victim in a coma and was found with blood on his hands has been jailed.

A vicious thug who left his victim in a coma and was found with blood on his hands has been jailed.

Paul Kelly has been handed a 12-and-a-half year prison sentence following the shocking attack on Old Durham Road in the Gateshead area in the early hours of October 31 last year.

The 38-year-old had spent the evening prior socialising with the victim at his address, having met outside a local shop a few hours prior.

However, Kelly became aggressive and was asked to leave before he launched his attack on the man aged in his 50s.

Kelly punched and kicked the victim repeatedly, as well as using a variety of weapons including a hammer, a pizza cutter, a chair leg and a Jack Daniel’s bottle.

Officers attended the address shortly after 9.30am and found the victim by the front door with serious injuries.

He was taken to hospital and placed in an induced coma, having sustained 16 lacerations to his head, a broken nose, a punctured lung and fractured ribs.

Thankfully, he has since made a full physical recovery from his injuries.

Kelly was found by officers sitting on the stairs covered in blood, and was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

He assaulted an officer upon his arrest, and was also found to have taken his victim’s wallet.

Kelly, of Millway, Deckham, Gateshead, was charged with attempted murder but later pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, theft and assault on an emergency worker at Newcastle Crown Court in July 2024.

He appeared before the same court on Friday where he was sentenced to 12-and-a-half year prison sentence, four of which will be spent on licence.

Kelly was also handed an indefinite restraining order.

Leading the investigation, Detective Inspector Rona Malessa, of Northumbria Police, said:

First and foremost, the victim in this case was subject to an absolutely terrifying ordeal and I hope this sentence allows them to take the first steps towards moving forwards with the rest of their life.

He is lucky to be alive following a night of such senseless violence, and I am pleased that an extremely dangerous offender in Kelly will now be spending a lengthy spell behind bars.

We have a zero tolerance stance on any and all violence in our communities, and we will continue to do everything our power to bring those responsible for these offences before the courts to face justice.