Appeal date for Mansfield youth worker who punched man unconscious over 'white power' remark before Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder fight

William Dennis knocked Perry Cranston out cold outside Wilko’s in the town on February 23 last year, in the hours prior to the Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder fight.

Both men had been drinking and converged on Clumber Street in separate groups to await taxis to make their way home, Nottingham Crown Court was told when Dennis was jailed for 14 months in February.

The groups had been stood under a canopy and started talking and ‘bantering’ about the forthcoming fight and Dennis had ‘seen red’ after Mr Cranston made a remark about ‘white power’, the court heard - something he later denied saying.

Dennis had then started swinging punches and dragged Mr Cranston into the middle of the road and punched him up to nine times - the last one knocking him out.

He fell to the floor and cracked his head on the kerb, causing bleeding to the brain.

Mr Cranston was rushed to King’s Mill Hospital, in Sutton, and was then transferred to the intensive care unit at Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre, where medics battled to save his life.

He was subsequently left with memory problems and has to wear a crash helmet when he goes out, to protect his skull after a steel plate that was fitted became infected and had to be removed.

Dennis, 23, of Kempton Road, Mansfield, admitted causing grievous bodily harm, but told police he had been an ongoing victim of racism, growing up in Mansfield.

In comments made to police after his arrest, Dennis told officers: “I heard him say ‘white power’, and I flipped, I’m so angry with myself.”

He added: “I’m a youth offending worker. I tell other people not to react.”

Dennis’ appeal against sentence is set to take place at the High Court in London on Wednesday, March 17

Speaking after the sentence, Mr Cranston said: “I’m now left with a part of my skull missing while I wait for an operation and it won’t be until March when I get my pre-op with a view to having a new plate fitted in April.”

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