Words: Steve Brown

A man has been jailed after punching a man who was dressed as a woman which left him with skull fractures and a blood clot.

Adil Ali smacked the 61-year-old victim with a “marital arts” style punch after getting into a confrontation with the man outside a club in Manchester’s Gay Village, the Manchester Evening News reported.

Manchester Crown Court heard that Ali was lingering outside AXM bar’s smoking area and was already moved on from a bouncer after approaching several woman as they queued to get into the club.

Prosecutor Simon Barrett said: “The victim came over because the defendant had been arguing with other females.

“The complainant was making aggressive comments and the defendant told him to shut up or he would knock him out.”

CCTV shows the victim – who was dressed in women’s clothes – approach Ali before punching the man.

The victim fell to the ground and banged his head on the pavement. He was transferred to the high dependency neurological-unit at Salford Royal Hospital where he suffered a blood clot and skull fractures.

Barrett continued: “The victim continues to suffer from cognitive impairment and struggles with daily tasks.

“He remains on a rehabilitation ward and will require 24-hour support when he leaves hospital.”

According to Ali’s defence barrister, Gillian Kennaugh, he prayed his victim wouldn’t die.

Kennaugh said: “It is clear they are both intoxicated – it is 4.30am. Clearly that will have clouded his judgement.

“The defendant had an injury to his face already and when this person got in his face, he overreacted to the situation. He reacted with one strike.

“Within 30 seconds, he realised the complainant has gone to the floor and checks to see if he is OK.”

Ali was jailed for 27 months but will serve half his sentence before being considered for parole.