A violent thug who left his cousin without a sense of taste or smell following a savage cocaine-fuelled attack has been jailed for nine years.
Graham McEvoy suffered multiple skull and eye socket fractures after being repeatedly punched and kicked by Terry McEvoy.
The duo had been arguing about ‘family matters’ as they walked down the street in St Helens, Merseyside, on July 11 last year, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Terrence, who was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol, viciously attacked his relative and left him lying in a pool of blood after taking his belongings.
The 39-year-old victim managed to make his way to a nearby house where the occupants raised the alarm and handed CCTV of the attack to police.
Liverpool Crown Court today heard the dad has since developed a stutter and lost both his sense of taste and smell after having metal plates inserted into his head.
Graham went to his girlfriend's home at around 9.30pm, on July 11 last year.
Terry, 31, turned up at around 11.30pm and asked if he could stay over, because he had been thrown out by his partner.
However, Terence wasn't taking medication for mental health issues and was drinking alcohol and taking cocaine.
Kenneth Grant, prosecuting, said Graham's girlfriend asked them to leave at around 2.45am because they were arguing.
As they walked along Pennine Drive, Graham agreed Terence could stay at his home, but only if he stopped arguing.
Mr Grant said: "The argument was about family matters and it would appear the defendant was saying things to Graham McEvoy, to the effect that he let people walk over him."
He added: "The discussions came to such a head that Graham McEvoy said to the defendant 'that's it, don't speak to me, you're not coming to mine, I don't want anything to do with you now'."
The next thing Graham remembered was coming around "covered in blood", with his mobile phone and house keys missing, before he knocked on the door of a nearby house.
The occupants didn't answer, but rang the police and provided CCTV footage of the attack, which was played in court.
Judge Anil Murray said Terrence attacked his victim from behind by pushing or punching him to the ground, "but didn't leave it at that".
He said: "There were then multiple punches and kicks.
“I've seen footage of what happened - this was a brutal attack including kicking him to the head when he was defenceless and after that continuing to punch him."
Mr Grant said Graham went to his sister's home but when police attended "didn't want to get his cousin into trouble".
However, the victim woke up in "agony" with his eyes "stuck together" and when he looked in a mirror, "didn't recognise himself".
Graham went to Whiston Hospital, where he was found to have fractures to the inner walls of both eye sockets.
Doctors said these fractures extended into the anterior cranial fossa, where the frontal lobes of the brain rest, meaning his injuries were also "neurosurgical".
A doctor found he needed surgery for "extensive nasal, skull and orbital fractures", requiring "an incision over the top of his scalp from ear to ear, to then access to plate and repair the fractures of his nose and skull, above and around his eye sockets".
Doctors said there wasn't any brain haemorrhage, but he will be visibly and permanently scarred for life.
Mr Grant said Graham reported ongoing numbness to his face and having no taste or sense of smell.
In a victim statement, Graham said: "To be honest I've never recovered. I still have pain and my face and head just feel different, they're not what they were before.
“I've had to cope with these feelings every day. I have plates and screws in my face and head. I can feel them and I hate it."
He described lumps under his skin and a "dent" in his head, adding that he had developed a stutter and memory problems.
Graham said: "I keep calling everyone Lee before their name, even my son. I don't know why I do it, it's like I have no control over it."
The victim, who reported headaches and seeing flashes before his eyes, will require further surgery to remove plates and screws.
He now has a carer, suffers from depression, is on medication and because of nightmares naps in the day rather than sleep at night.
Terrence, of Mcminnis Avenue, St Helens, gave a no comment interview to police on December 4.
He admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, but denied theft, which was left to lie on the file.
Terrence has 27 previous convictions for 36 offences, including affray, battery, public disorder and assaulting emergency workers.
Michael Hagerty, defending, said the attack fortunately didn't result in a brain injury or hemorrhage, which Judge Murray said was "a matter of luck".
The lawyer said the incident wasn't premeditated and suggested that despite comments made by Terrence to the Probation Service he had remorse, which was "considerable" and "genuine".
Mr Hagerty said his client had a child with a partner who has four other children and it was "a matter of great regret" to him that he would be separated from this family.
He said Terrence had PTSD as a result of an accident when he suffered serious injuries, plus adult ADHD and bipolar disorder, but accepted he had only been taking medication "sparingly", and these mental health issues didn't reduce his culpability.
Judge Murray noted that it was said Terrence was remorseful.
He said: "I will give you the benefit of the doubt about that, though the author of the pre-sentence report says you did not come across as overly remorseful."
He jailed McEvoy for nine years, of which he will spend two thirds - six years - behind bars.
