Man convicted of murder following drug dispute near his residence

An individual described as “dangerous” has been found guilty of murder after kicking a man in the face, which led to the victim striking his head on concrete, during an argument about drug use outside the assailant’s residence. Police reported that on 22 December, Nigel Mazs was with companions at a shared stairwell within a block of flats located at Malakoff Close, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Martin Montgomery “took exception” to their activities and instructed Mr Mazs to depart. Montgomery then kicked the 59-year-old as he stooped to retrieve an item, with the resulting fall inducing a brain haemorrhage. The victim passed away in hospital on 4 January. Montgomery, aged 31, had previously entered a plea of guilty to manslaughter but denied the charge of murder. A jury subsequently convicted him of murder after a nine-day trial held at Norwich Crown Court. Following the assault, Mr Mazs lost consciousness and sustained significant bleeding from facial injuries, according to police. With assistance from friends, he managed to reach Regent Road. However, his condition deteriorated, prompting a call to emergency services shortly after midday, approximately an hour after the event. He was transported to the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston, then airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he was placed into an induced coma. He did not regain consciousness. Police stated that Montgomery was apprehended at 20:30 GMT on the day of the attack in a friend’s garden, where he was attempting to incinerate his clothes from earlier that day on a barbecue. His sole comment to the officers was “fair enough,” police reported. Detective Inspector Alix Wright, who headed the investigation, commented: “This was an unprovoked assault and the way that Montgomery showed no concern for his victim, a man he did not know, and continued to taunt and threaten him even after he had suffered such a catastrophic injury, shows he is a dangerous individual who should be off the streets.”