Dad devastated as son left with half a skull after attack: 'It breaks my heart'

Jamie fought for his life in hospital due to the severe head injury and is now showing signs of recovery but is likely to require specialist care for the rest of his life.

Now his family has now partnered with North Yorkshire Police and the charity One Punch UK, which campaigns to prevent tragic deaths and injuries from a single punch by highlighting how raising fists in anger can have harrowing consequences.

“It breaks my heart seeing him as a dad as what he was and what he is now, and it’s all because of one punch” said Michael Kelly, the father Jamie Kelly.

“What it does to the families is unbelievable – luckily, we’ve still got Jamie but we know it’s still a long road that we’ve got to go.

“He’ll never be back to full fitness, but some people don’t have what I have, they’ve lost them forever.”

It was on 16 September, 2021, that the life of Jamie Kelly was changed forever after he was punched in the head by 34-year-old Daniel George Johnson near a pedestrian crossing in the centre of Scarborough and hit his head on the curb.

Johnson, of Cromwell Terrace, Scarborough, was sentenced to two years and five months after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm.

But Jamie’s dad believes that the sentences should be tougher on criminals like the one who hit his son in one punch attacks.

He told GB News: “The law needs changing because the lad [Johnson] only got 29 months and Jamie got life.

“Just go in a pub, smack someone and they know they might get a slap on the wrist and that will be it.”

The One Punch UK charity supports families like Jamie’s and campaigns to raise awareness of the devastating impact drink-fuelled violence can have.

It was set up by Maxine Thompson-Curl after her 19-year-old son was punched in the head in the toilets of a nightclub in Consett, County Durham.

He suffered a catastrophic brain injury in the unprovoked attack and had his frontal lobe removed and was in a coma for more than a week. Kristian survived for 10 months but sadly died in July 2011.

Maxine Thompson-Curl, CEO of One Punch UK told GB News: “I can’t remember the first year of my life after losing Kristian, I don’t know how I got through it, how I could wake up every day and how I managed.

“I knew that I had to do something and try and make a difference.”

Stop, think, and walk away before raising a fist, is the message that One Punch UK and families like Jamie’s are spreading so that other lives aren’t shattered or taken too soon.

“You’ve got your hand at the end of your arm, and that is a weapon and you’ve got to be responsible for your actions and you’ve got to think of the consequences at all times,” said Maxine.

North Yorkshire Police are supporting the charity’s ‘Punched Out Cold’ campaign, targeting men aged 18 to 35 at pubs, bars, gyms and sports clubs and said: “The campaign highlights just how dangerous one punch can be. That in a split second someone can become a killer, and someone can be killed or suffer life-changing injuries.

“By not acting in anger and lashing out, it could well be the best decision you have ever made.”

More information about the campaign can be found here