A MAN who acted as a guide for his partially sighted childhood friend attacked him during a drunken argument.
Eoin Patrick Downing, 23, had helped guide his friend Andrew Beal to his home in west Hull with two girls after a night out drinking.
The pair continued drinking at Mr Beal's flat and when an argument broke out between the girls, Mr Beal told them to stop.
Downing took exception and, as Mr Beal went to pick up his drink, Downing attacked him from behind.
Mr Beal received a blow to the side of his face and started bleeding but Downing continued to punch him both inside and outside the flat.
Prosecutor Jharna Jobes said: "This man was a guide to him. There had never been any problems between them in the number of years they had known each other.
"It was an unprovoked attack involving punches being rained down on him on several occasions. Mr Beal said he tried to protect himself as he received blows to his back and body. The victim was particularly vulnerable as he is partially sighted."
The police were called and took Mr Beal to Hull Royal Infirmary where doctors discovered he had suffered a fractured eye socket.
In his victim impact statement, Mr Beal said: "He had never been violent to me before.
"I saw him days later and he was upset and in tears and apologised."
Downing claimed he lost his temper in March last year because his victim was "winding him up".
Downing, of 20th Avenue, north Hull, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm and failing to comply with the Sex Offenders Register and theft.
He was placed on the sex offenders register in 2008 after he climbed into a the bedroom of a 17-year-old girl and sexually assaulted her.
He has previously breached the order and was just cautioned. This time, he was informed he had to declare any bank accounts and he failed to register them. He also failed to tell police he had changed his address on July 29 last year.
Downing was also charged with stealing a number plate from a stolen Mercedes Benz.
Judge John Dowse has deferred sentence on him until August and told him to get a job so he can pay compensation to his victim.
He told him: "You are getting into a criminal lifestyle, including beating up your own friend. I think you should go to prison for more than 18 months but you show signs of wanting to change.
"It would be a good opportunity for you to go out looking for work and save up some money so I can order you to pay compensation to your friend for the injuries he suffered."
