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 Christian Briggs arrives at Snaresbrook Crown Court for his case |
‘Human shield’ jailed for attack on musician
Iraq peace activist almost killed singer with single punch after bus row
A PEACE activist who risked his life as a ‘human shield’ in Iraq has been jailed for a vicious street attack on a young rock musician in Holloway.
Christiaan Taylor Briggs, 30, left Billy Leeson, 19, in a coma when he assaulted him after Mr Leeson’s girlfriend spurned his advances.
Briggs was sentenced to eight months in prison at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm last month.
The court heard how he “lashed out” at Mr Leeson, of Brecknock Road, Kentish Town, as they got off a No. 29 bus in Camden Road in June.
Mr Leeson needed brain surgery and still has trouble walking after Briggs, from Kingsbury, Brent, floored him with a single punch, causing his head to smash into the pavement.
Mr Leeson’s band, Les Incompétents, has since split up and the singer and his family say their lives have been “devastated” by the attack.
The court heard how he was returning home on the bus from a gig at the Barfly in Kentish Town with his girlfriend, Elli Bradshaw, when Briggs began looking at her.
After a brief exchange of words between Mr Leeson and New Zealander Briggs, all three got off the bus.
Ms Bradshaw said in a statement: “I heard a really loud crashing sound and turned to see Bill lying on the floor.
“It looked as if he (Briggs) had put all his weight behind the punch and was a man who knew how to punch.”
Two passers-by said Briggs, a technician at an architectural practice and a former Green Party candidate, walked away smirking or laughing.
Defence counsel Bartholomew Casella said the smile was a “nerve reaction” in an “alien situation”.
Mr Leeson was aken by ambulance to the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead. By the time he arrived he had lapsed into a “profound coma”, said prosecutor Busola Johnson.
A scan showed traumatic injuries and brain haemorrhaging.
Briggs, wearing a dark grey suit and light blue tie in the dock, heard how Mr Leeson’s dura – the outer mebrane of the brain – was bruised inside and out.
Mr Leeson was taken to intensive care and surgeons took the decision to undertake a craniotomy “as a last resort” – removing a flap of his skull to relieve the pressure on his brain.
He was in a coma for three weeks and needed a tracheotomy to help him breath.
He said in his statement: “When I awoke I had no knowledge of why I was in hospital.
“I had so many holes in my body I assumed I had been tortured.”
He added: “This is all very frustrating for me because I lived an independent life.
“I am in a lot of pain physically. This has devastated my life.”
The court heard how Mr Leeson can only walk with splints in his shoes and still requires doses of antibiotics through a tube in his chest.
Ms Johnson said: “It would appear that the majority of the injuries were caused by the force of the landing than the punch.”
The court heard how Briggs handed himself in to Islington police after seeing press reports detailing Mr Leeson’s injuries.
Mr Casella said: “(Briggs) thought Mr Leeson was going to get up and walk away.”
During his interview with detectives, Briggs made “a full and frank admission”.
Thirty-two character references had been submitted to Judge Peter Birts QC with Briggs being of previous good character in the UK and New Zealand.
Mr Casella said: “(Briggs is) an exceptional human being who has devoted a lot of time to helping other. He was absolutely horrified with this behaviour.”
Sentencing Briggs, Judge Birts said: “This was an unprovoked and violent attack on a stranger in a public place…and the consequences have been catastrophic.”
Briggs’s parents had flown over from New Zealand for the case. His mother wept as he was sentenced.
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