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Moments before Liam Elston met the teenager in a car park behind shops in Market Parade, Havant, another man told him dealers behind the Rondo drug gang had ‘put out a hit’ on the 31-year-old.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard Elston approached the boy and asked him if that was the case - and the teenager said he had been told to stab him.

Prosecutor Roderick Blain told how CCTV captured Elston punching the boy, leaving him on the ground unconscious with a fractured skull.

Liam Elston, 31, of Ashley Close, Havant, was jailed at Portsmouth Crown Court.
Picture: Hampshire Police — Liam Elston, 31, of Ashley Close, Havant, was jailed at Portsmouth Crown Court. Picture: Hampshire Police

Emilie Morrison, mitigating, said: ‘Mr Elston asked whether there was a hit out on him.

‘(The boy) told him he had been asked to stab Mr Elston. There was no suggestion (the punch) was self-defence. There was nothing to suggest that at that moment (the boy was going to attack).

‘That caused Mr Elston to panic and he punched him as he did.’

Elton, who has 194 previous offences, punched the boy, dropping him to the ground unconscious before walking over him and picking up an item.

She added: ‘What should have been a routine appointment to purchase drugs became something more sinister than that.’

Man accused of murdering 16-year-old Louise Smith of Havant appears in court

The court heard both the boy, who cannot be named, and Elston, of Ashley Close in Leigh Park, were in contact with the Rondo county line network.

Ms Morrison said Elston entered a late guilty plea to inflicting grievous bodily harm as he was ‘held back by his own fear of those running the Rondo line by those he feels are dangerous’.

Sentencing, judge David Melville QC jailed Elston for 29 months - reducing a 33-month term by four months for his admission of guilt. The maximum sentence is five years.

‘He suffered a skull fracture at the base of his skull,’ the judge said. ‘He became agitated and confused and had to be taken to hospital and was treated for significant concussion.

‘Fortunately he appears to have made a recovery from that.’

The court heard Elston was remorseful and did not know the child’s age.

Elston was on licence when he attacked the boy on March 14 last year at midday.

Addict punched teenage drug pusher in Havant after 15-year-old said there was a hit ordered on him