Grandfather’s death after pub garden assault detailed in court

Teesside Crown Court was informed that a 42-year-old grandfather, Carl James, who passed away following an assault in a pub’s beer garden, possessed a “heart of gold” and “loved life.” Mr. James died in the hospital three days after Curtis Tudor headbutted and punched him outside the Jack and Jill Pub in Middlesbrough in May. The court heard that Mr. James, a beloved father of five and grandfather of two, sustained catastrophic bleeding around his brain after hitting his head on a wooden table. Tudor, aged 26, residing at Welburn Grove in Ormesby, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and is scheduled for sentencing on Friday. The court was told that Mr. James was assaulted shortly before 18:00 BST on May 11, after he took a seat on a bench beside Tudor. The incident of violence occurred in the presence of at least 20 individuals, including several children, according to court proceedings. Prosecutors stated that while other individuals administered CPR to Mr. James, Tudor remained close by, massaging his hand, before departing from the location. Mr. James, a scaffolder who had recently finished an offshore safety course, was transported to James Cook University Hospital, where he passed away three days subsequent to the incident. Anthony James, his brother, informed the court that the death of the 42-year-old had caused a “devastating impact” on the entire family. He described his brother as consistently loving and “not afraid to show it,” further stating he was “caring and generous” and possessed a “massive heart of gold.” He also mentioned that over £30,000 had been collected in his brother’s memory, which served as evidence of the numerous individuals and causes he had assisted throughout his life. “He was always making everyone laugh and smile with his ways,” Mr. James stated, adding that their parents were “absolutely heartbroken.” He conveyed that the family held many “amazing” memories of Mr. James, who was known as Frank by his friends due to dressing as Frankenstein’s monster for a parade during his childhood, but they were devastated by the inability to create any new ones. The court was informed that Tudor had three prior convictions for a total of six offences, which included assaulting two men in March of this year, one of whom he repeatedly punched in the head, and the other in the chest and throat. During mitigation, the court heard that Tudor had authored a letter conveying genuine remorse.