Reading Crown Court: Man sentenced for horrific Hungerford attack

A MAN had his skull "cracked open" and suffered a brain haemorrhage plus horrific dental injuries after being felled by a single blow.

Minutes earlier, the victim and his attacker had been drinking together in a Hungerford High Street pub, a court heard.

In the dock at Reading Crown Court on Friday, December 2, was Michael John Brearley, whose address was variously given as Cherry Grove and as Atherton Road, Hungerford.

The 31-year-old had denied assaulting Daniel Talmage, causing grievous bodily harm.

But a jury did not believe his claims of acting in self defence and convicted him.

At Friday's sentencing hearing Timothy Devlin, prosecuting, said the incident happened just after midnight on September 6, 2021.

Mr Talmage and Brearley were friends, the court heard, but had argued earlier in the evening.

When they left the pub, said Mr Devlin, Mr Talmage began giving Brearley "relationship advice."

He went on: "The defendant then punched Mr Talmage once, dropping him to the pavement and cracking open his head."

Mr Talmage sustained a shattered skull which caused a brain bleed, damaged eye socket, brain bruising and devastating dental injuries, the judge was told.

This resulted in a three-day hospital stay plus a £10,000 dental bill to replace and repair Mr Talmage's teeth, said Mr Devlin.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Talmage said the attack had affected him "physically, psychologically and emotionally."

He added that he still suffers from health issues, dental problems and "constant migraines."

Mr Devlin pointed out that Brearley has previous convictions for drink-driving and for assault causing actual bodily harm after he headbutted another friend following an argument in a pub.

Joshua Ellis, defending, said his client, a father of two, had been unable to come to terms with the death of his mother and had sought solace in alcohol.

However, he added, he has since undergone therapy and was now a "different man."

Mr Ellis said Brearley was now "by no means dependent on alcohol as he once was."

Finally, he pointed out that his client had not fled the scene but had waited until an ambulance arrived and had since shown "remorse and insight."

The judge, Recorder Charles Langley, acknowledged a character reference submitted to the court penned by the licensee of The Borough Arms pub in Hungerford High Street, Sylvi Giuliani.

However, he added: "You grabbed (Mr Talmage's) vest and punched him right in the face.

"You clearly didn't act in self defence."

Recorder Langley went on: "You very clearly have a problem with drink and violence; you were extremely intoxicated that day.

"You still say to a certain extent he deserved what he got; you were a binge drinker and you used cocaine.

"The fact that you and Mr Talmage were friends make it even more difficult to understand."

Recorder Langley said the offence was so serious it had to be marked with a custodial sentence.,

Nevertheless, he added, he felt able to suspend it because of "a strong prospect of rehabilitation," the potential affect on Brearley's children of jailing him and because of the personal mitigation offered on his behalf by Mr Ellis.

Brearley was sentenced to two months imprisonment suspended for two years.

In addition he was ordered to complete up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and to abstain from alcohol - to be monitored by an electronic device – for 120 days.

The judge also ordered Brearley to complete 120 hours of unpaid community work.

Finally, he ordered him to pay Mr Talmage £6,000 in compensation towards his dental bills.