Bexhill man left in coma for months after attack, court trial hears

A brutal attack left a young father in a coma for five months, a court was told this week.
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Court news

Alfie Peak, 28, was attacked outside a fast food restaurant in Sea Road, Bexhill, in the early hours of July 27, 2013.

The court heard the incident left him with brain damage, unable to speak and confined to a wheelchair.

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Thomas Unwin, 25, of High Street, Ripley, Derbyshire, Steven Luck, 26, of Kingscott Close, Sidley, John Panice, 26, of Wartling Drive, Bexhill, and 25-year-old Zack Dangerfield, of Preston Road, Bexhill, have been jointly charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

They all deny the charge and their trial at Hove Crown Court started last week.

In a statement read out by the prosecution at the trial yesterday (Tuesday, October 11), Mr Peak’s stepmother, Heidi White said: “Alfie was left in a coma for some considerable time and he came round at Christmas 2013.”

The jury was told Mr Peak became distressed in February 2014 and told his stepmother via a letter board that ‘Luck had stomped on his head’.

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Tracie Deeprose, Mr Peak’s mother, said in a statement which was also read out in court yesterday that one day in June 2014 her son started trying to tell her about the incident.

She said: “I asked him if he knew what happened. He nodded and gestured with his right hand as if he was being punched in the head. Alfie also nodded to say he had been stomped on. He became agitated and started to punch out so I didn’t ask any more questions because I didn’t want to upset him.”

In a statement, Wayne Peak, Mr Peak’s father, said: “Alfie told me about being pushed around in the street. He was pulling away to try and get away but was dragged back onto the pavement where he was kicked or stomped in the head.”

Richard Wells, who was living in Sea Road at the time of the attack, said he was woken by a ‘fracas’ at around 2.30am.

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He said: “I heard a noise of people arguing. I could see someone lying on the ground in a foetal position.

“He was kicked by a single man, who was joined by some other men. They were fairly vicious kicks. I can’t say for certainty that all of these men kicked him.”

The trial continues.

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