A 24-year-old man who joined in with a "savage" attack on a man he accused of murdering his friend has been jailed.

Aston Golding blamed 46-year-old ONeil Yearde for the fatal stabbing of Ronald Leigh in October last year.

Bristol Crown Court heard that, after the stabbing in Fishponds, a group of men confronted Mr Yearde in Downend Road and beat him to the head and body.

The attack left him brain damaged, with mutliple fractures, and he remains in hospital.

Only Golding, 24, of no fixed address, was charged after the attack and pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary arrested seven men in connection with the incident, who have been released on bail and are still under investigation.

The force is still investigating the fatal stabbing, but as yet no arrests have been made.

The recorder Mr Rufus Taylor jailed Golding for eight years, with an extended licence period of four years.

He told him: "It was revenge for his suspected involvement in the death of your friend.

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"You realize you have wrecked a lot of people's lives, including your own family's."

Kenneth Bell, prosecuting, said Mr Leigh was fatally stabbed in Oldbury Court, Fishponds, at just before 7pm on October 9.

At around 8.40pm, a group of men was seen attacking Mr Yearde near a bus shelter on Downend Road.

Witnesses saw three men kicking him to his upper body on the ground, the court heard, before two other men rifled through his clothes and took his wallet and mobile phone.

'This guy killed my friend'

Mr Bell said: "Mr Yearde was savagely attacked."

Mr Yearde suffered a horrendous catalogue of injuries including skull, face, jaw and rib fractures as well as a bleed on the brain.

As a result of police enquiries, Golding was charged in connection with the assault on December 11.

The court heard he told police: "I'm not going to lie.

"This guy killed my friend.

"I did that to him and I'll tell the court tomorrow."

He pleaded guilty to the assault the next day.

Ronald Leigh

 

Mr Yearde's daughter Kim made a statement in which she said her family was "broken" by what happened and she thought Bristol was no longer a safe place for her dad.

And his daughter Nyciela made a statement in which she said: "We have come so close to losing the glue that keeps us all together.

"I have never shed so many tears."

Golding had previously attacked a woman who he blamed for landing one of his friends in jail, the court heard.

Bristol Crown Court

Kannan Siva, defending, said Mr Leigh was a childhood friend of his client and he attributed Mr Leigh's death to Mr Yearde.

Mr Siva said, however, that Golding had not intended to harm Mr Yearde to such an extent.

Mr Siva told the court: "One cannot respond to violence with violence, it is as simple as that.

"He has denied his friend who died of a proper investigative channel."