D'you remember me? Headmaster savagely beaten by ex-pupil who harboured a 20-year grudge against him



Vicious attack: Kieran Heakin had to have four metal plates put in his skull

A headmaster has been left deaf and scarred for life by a former pupil who claims he harboured a 20-year grudge against him.

Kieran Heakin, 58, suffered horrendous facial injuries when he was attacked in an Indian restaurant.

Former pupil Jermaine Bullen, 26, approached him and said: 'Do you remember me? You beat me when I was six years old and I have been waiting all these years to meet up with you.'

Bullen, a labourer, then launched his attack in the restaurant, punching and kicking the headmaster to the ground. He bore a grudge against Mr Heakin for two decades after he alleged he was thrashed by the teacher for misbehaving in school.

Yesterday Bullen was jailed for three years after he pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm. The attack came during a chance encounter after he spotted Mr Heakin waiting for a takeaway curry at the Kabana in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, with two fellow heads.

Mr Heakin, the headmaster of St John's RC Primary, in Burnley, suffered a broken nose, a broken cheekbone and ribs, a fractured eye socket and a broken jaw. His wife Angela, 57, said her husband was 'unrecognisable' and admitted she and their children Rebecca, 36, Damien, 31, and Edward, 22, had been left reeling by the unprovoked attack and the extent of his injuries.

The former mayor of Whitworth, near Rochdale, who has taught for 34 years, spent two weeks in hospital and two months recuperating at home.

He had to have four metal plates put into his skull and is now permanently deaf in one ear and has no sense of smell and taste.

Grudge: The attack has left Mr Heakin, left, deaf. Jermaine Bullen has been jailed for three years



But Mr Heakin - a committed Christian - strongly denies ever having used corporal punishment. He said: 'In spite of my injuries I have forgiven Jermaine and I don't want any revenge.

'He lost his self control for a moment and will pay for that for many years to come.

'I remember him as an infant but I have not seen him for 19 years.

'He was expelled from schools many times.



'I have never beaten a child in my life. Corporal punishment has been illegal since 1986 and was certainly not used at my school.



I don't like to dwell on the incident or the after-effects. As a committed Christian I have decided to forgive him. That is my job - I spend a lot of time telling children about forgiveness.'

Earlier Bolton Crown Court heard how Bullen confronted Mr Heakin, saying: 'You will remember me and you will remember my father - you used to bully me at school.'

Bullen, who was arrested the following day after fleeing the scene, has a string of offences on his record including affray, GBH and drugs charges.

David Farley, defending, said: 'When the assault was happening, he says all he could do was picture himself at that age and he lost control.'

