Attacker smashed victim's kneecap in a fit of jealousy, Leicester Crown Court told

A 21-year-old who smashed a man's kneecap with an iron bar in a fit of jealousy has been jailed for four years.

The victim was attacked by at least two men, who cornered him in a cul-de-sac and knocked him to the ground.

Gurvinder Uppal and an accomplice attacked him with bars, kicked and punched him.

The injury to his knee was so bad the victim had to have an operation to insert metal pins.

june summer room sale

Moira's Reflections

View details

Print voucher

in our summer room we have loads of
sale items alot with at least 75% off
£10 rail too.
shoes and hats reduced too.
tops trousers and skirts from 20% to 50%off

Contact: 0116 3667004

Valid until: Saturday, June 29 2013

Leicester Crown Court heard that Uppal was jealous as the victim had been texting and sending messages via Facebook to his girlfriend.

When the victim refused to stop, Uppal sent him a message saying: "Yo, you are going to get a beating."

James House, prosecuting, said on January 28, Uppal and friends went looking for the victim.

At 1am, the victim was walking along Evington Valley Road, Leicester, with a friend when a Peugeot pulled up, with Uppal and other men inside.

The victim ran off into a dead-end street, chased by the men from the car.

Mr House said: "A witness saw Uppal trip the victim and hit him with a metal bar when he was on the floor."

He said the victim raised his knee to protect himself and Uppal hit him, breaking the kneecap.

The court heard Uppal's father, Harjinder Singh, approached the victim on April 21 and urged him to drop the case.

Two days later, Singh offered the victim's mother £500 to get her son to drop the case.

Mr House said Uppal had previous convictions for supplying class A drugs and carrying a bladed weapon in public.

Uppal, of Woodboy Street, Belgrave, Leicester, had pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent at a previous hearing.

Singh (53), also of Woodboy Street, had pleaded guilty to two charges of perverting the course of justice in April.

Donal Lawler, representing Uppal, said his client was of low intelligence and regretted what he had done.

He said: "He now wishes he had not reacted to the texts and Facebook messages."

He said Uppal had earned an NVQ in engineering while in youth custody and urged the judge to keep the prison sentence to a minimum.

Jonathan Cox, representing Singh, said his client was of previous good character and had made the approaches to the victim's family out of "misguided loyalty to his son".

He urged the court to give his client a suspended jail sentence or a community penalty.

Judge Simon Hammond told Uppal: "This was a sustained, pre-planned attack by two men using metal bars which caused serious injury to the defenceless victim's knee.

"You will go to prison for four years."

He told Singh: "Perverting the course of justice is a very serious offence.

"You will go to prison for six months."