Sentencing delay for Doncaster thug who battered homeless man in shop doorway

A delay in issuing a pre-sentence report will mean Daniel Walker, aged 27, of Woodlands, will not know his fate until January 31, 2017.

A report is needed before the court to assess Walker's risk to the public.

Walker admitted attacking homeless man Carl Notley, 52, in the doorway of the British Heart Foundation in Printing Office Street in the early hours of Wednesday, August 10.

The 52-year-old was taken to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield for treatment, where he remained in a coma for a number of weeks after the incident.

Following the attack hundreds of pounds were raised for Mr Notley to aid him during his recovery.

It is understood Mr Notley had become homeless after being evicted from his council-owned home, due to the so-called 'bedroom tax'.

Walker pleaded guilty to one count of GBH at a hearing in November and his barrister, Michael Cane-Soothill, expressed Walker's desire and that of his family in the public gallery, to be sentenced as quickly as possible.

John Boumphrey, prosecuting, said the victim had been suffering from 'ongoing psychological difficulties' as a result of the attack.

Walker, who appeared via video-link from Doncaster prison, only spoke to confirm his name when asked by the court clerk.

The judge, Recorder David Osborne, said it would not be appropriate to continue with the sentencing.

He said: "I can understand why you and your family want to know what's going to happen in relation to your sentence and you have been waiting some time to find out.

"This ought to be the day for sentencing but a pre-sentence report is not ready. There has been some error from the Probation Service and it has been no fault of your own.

"This is a very serious offence. There needs to be an assessment of the harm that was caused and future work is required there. They need to assess the risk you pose the public."