Three vicious thugs left a dad-of-two in a four-mo

Three vicious thugs left a dad-of-two in a four-month coma after a horrific Christmas Eve beating, the Old Bailey heard today.

(Fri)

The drunken mob attacked kitchen porter Cumali Sinankili, 42, outside a pub for no apparent reason, jurors heard.

Peter McDonagh, 23, Rocky Djelal, 21, and Barry Coombes, 19, had embarked on a festive rampage, trashing two south London pubs before they picked a fight with Cumali Sinankili in the street.

It was four months before the victim opened his eyes but, tragically, he could not recognise his wife and children, the court heard.

‘This was an attack exclusively to the head by fists and feet,’ said prosecutor Mr Neil Moore.

‘He is still nowhere near a condition to give evidence.

‘When he woke he had some movement but didn’t recognise his family and friends and was unable to respond to commands.

‘

The three men, all from Bermondsey, southeast London, were quizzed by police but refused to answer questions, the court heard.

A fourth man was also arrested but later released without charge.

But the three defendants were trapped by secret surveillance as they sat in their police cells, jurors were told.

‘The conversations between them were covertly recorded with video and audio tape and they can clearly be seen and heard to talk through the gaps in their cells,’ said Mr Moore.

‘While they had nothing to say to the police they had plenty to say to each other unaware they were being recorded.

‘

The three concocted their stories and discussed evidence against them and how they would talk their way out of it, the court heard.

They plotted a tale that Mr Sinankili started the fight and that they were acting in self defence, the jury was told.

Blood-stained clothing belonging to the defendants were recovered by police which contained DNA clues linked to the victim, the court heard.

The attack happened outside the Blue Anchor Pub in Southwark, just after closing time on Christmas Eve last year.

Djelal, 21, of Lockwood Square, Bermondsey and McDonagh, 23, of no fixed address, deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent and violent disorder.

Coombes admits causing grievous bodily harm with intent and will be sentenced at the end of the trial.

Mr Sinangili, from Surrey Quays, had arrived in Britain from Turkey eight years ago, claiming political persecution.

He will be permanently brain damaged as a result of the attack in which he was punched and kicked in the face and head while standing and lying on the floor.

The trial continues.

m/f.

memo: The jury did not hear that victim’s injuries were worsened because he had a metal plate inserted in his head following a shooting incident in his native land 15 years ago.

ends memo

addcoma.