A MOURNER who punched, kicked and stamped on a relative after "completely losing it" at a wake has been jailed for eight years.
High on a cocktail of drink and drugs, David Finch, 48, brutally attacked Stuart White outside the Red Lion pub in Newland Street, Witham, on October 5.
The ferocity of the assault left the 59-year-old on life support for five days after he suffered a heart attack in the ambulance on the way to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford and had to be resuscitated.
The Finch and White family had been mourning a mutual relative on October 4 and the wake was held in a function room of the pub.
The pair had a disagreement and Finch punched Mr White in the face, but Mrs White intervened.
But Finch later found Mr White, nicknamed "Geordie", as he left the gathering and began punching him in the face until he fell to the floor then repeatedly kicked him in the head and jumped on his chest.
Mr White suffered "a multitude of injuries" including broken cheeks and nose, damage to his left arm, as well as losing many teeth in the ordeal that was partially witnessed by his two stepsons.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard how the engineer suffered "life-changing" brain injuries and now needed round-the-clock care from his wife and could not drive due to his now limited vision.
One witness who tried to intervene described how Finch, of Cawston, near Rugby in Warwickshire, was "using his full force" during the attack and that Mr White looked "completely battered".
"When the witness approached Mr Finch he turned and said 'do you want some as well?'" said Chris Paxton, prosecuting.
Ian Speed, defending, added: "The funeral was an emotional day and partly fuelled by drink. He took offence to something that was said by someone who is not a very nice person.
"The defendant doesn't know why he did what he did, but he completely lost it. He knows what he did was wrong and is extremely apologetic for the injuries he has caused."
The court heard how the father of four had 13 previous convictions for 17 offences that stretched back to 1985, including a burglary in which he entered a house with a meat cleaver.
In 2006, Finch was also sentenced to seven years in jail after being stopped driving in Kent with a loaded handgun and ammunition in his car.
He pleaded guilty to GBH with intent on March 24 after initially saying there was a second person involved in the attack.
Sentencing, Judge John Dodd QC told the defendant: "You nearly killed him and it was right that you came to your senses and admitted what you had done.
"Your victim had very grievous injuries and the effect has been drastic and dramatic – you have ruined his life. The fact you were under the influence of alcohol and cocaine may in part explain your loss of control, but it does not excuse your criminality."
While in Chelmsford prison on remand, Finch was also caught with a mobile phone and charger during a routine search.
The court heard how Finch only had the phone for three hours as he was attempting to contact his family after his brother committed suicide.
He was sentenced to eight years for the GBH and nine months for the possession of a mobile phone, to run concurrently.
He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120.
