Couple sentenced for 'despicable' Southsea attack on man stamped on head while unconscious with pool of blood by head

Louis Bibby, 29, was jailed for nearly seven years for his part in the savage beating of the ‘motionless’ victim with his partner Samantha Bainbridge on October 28, 2020, in Fawcett Road, Southsea.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard how events turned ugly when the victim, who has since died from matters unrelated to the attack, was accused of groping Bainbridge, 28, after the friends had been drinking.

Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said ‘things changed dramatically’ after the alleged sexual assault as Bainbridge started ‘screaming’ at the man to ‘get out’.

Bibby called the male ‘vile’ before he embarked on his ‘prolonged’ attack that left the victim unconscious before he was taken to hospital.

‘(The victim) was trying to walk away but Mr Bibby had hold of him by the collar,’ Mr Lawson said.

The court heard the victim stumbled outside the front door before Bibby started his assault witnessed by neighbours.

Bibby unleashed repeated stamps on the man with Bainbridge joining in and aiming blows to his torso and a stamp to his head.

‘Neighbours saw the man lying motionless with Mr Bibby repeatedly stamping on his head,’ Mr Lawson said.

Bainbridge, of Milton Road, was heard shouting at the victim: ‘You’re a disgusting vile man.’

Police and ambulance turned up with the man ‘motionless with a pool of blood by his head’.

The ‘confused and agitated’ victim was rushed to hospital and given a brain scan which returned ‘normal’ results.

He was left with lacerations to his face, chest, hands and back.

The court heard the victim had since died, prompting the case to be put off while pathologist tests were carried out to establish if the attack had played a part in his death.

‘The case had to be adjourned before it could be established the incident had nothing to do with it,’ Mr Lawson said.

‘He passed away from totally unrelated matters.’

Bibby, of Waverley Road, Southsea, had initially denied the offence, telling police: ‘I was not involved.’

But he eventually admitted a charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.

Meanwhile Bainbridge, who admitted an offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, had no relevant previous convictions to her name.

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Bibby also admitted a burglary on December 17, 2020, at a Southsea address. The court was told he entered an address at night that had been left unlocked as a man slept upstairs.

The victim’s bank card was taken and used in a nearby shop.

A PlayStation 4 was stolen in the raid along with two mobile phones, a Google Nest and a wallet.

Bibby also admitted six shoplifting offences from a Co-op store in New Road, Fratton.

Judge, Recorder Louise Harvey, handed Bainbridge a nine-month jail term suspended for 18 months and gave her 30 rehabilitation days.

She was also given an electronic curfew to remain at her address from 7pm to 7am.

Recorder Harvey told Bibby: ‘It was frankly despicable to kick (the victim) until he was unconscious and then stamp on his head.

‘It is pure luck his injuries were not more serious.’

Bibby was locked up for six years and 11 months.