A skateboarder who assaulted Notre Dame High School caretaker Roy Money after being asked to leave the grounds has been jailed.

Eastern Daily Press: Roy Money. Photo: Steve AdamsRoy Money. Photo: Steve Adams (Image: Steve Adams)

Jack Place, 20, of St Mary's Grove, Sprowston, previously pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Money, who had been a well-respected caretaker at Notre Dame High School for 45 years, and was a steward at Carrow Road.

Mr Money was assaulted on the school grounds, where he also lived, on Sunday, May 21.

Norwich Crown Court heard Place had taken exception to being asked to leave and 'sized up' to Mr Money in an intimidatory manner.

After being pushed, punched or shoved by Mr Money in self-defence, Place then sized up to Mr Money again before striking out and putting him on the floor.

Eastern Daily Press: Notre Dame High School. Finkelgate entrance. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYNotre Dame High School. Finkelgate entrance. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

Mr Money, who was then 69, is still recovering from the attack after having spent a total of seven weeks in hospital.

He suffered a traumatic brain injury after the assault which resulted in multiple areas of bleeding on the brain and a fracture to the left side of his skull.

Jailing Place for 22 months Judge Maureen Bacon said she accepted the defendant was not 'violent by nature' but had been on the night.

She said: 'Having had time to choose to walk away you struck out at him and put him on the floor.'

Judge Bacon added: 'You then walked away without even going to see what condition you had left him in.'

The judge said the stress Mr Money's family had witnessed in seeing their loved one suffer and their anxiety at whether he would return to his former self were self evident from their victim statements.

The court had heard Mr Money returned home from a charity event at the football ground and had seen skateboarders in the grounds.

CCTV shown to the court showed Mr Money go up to the group, which included Place, to tell them to leave.

Two of the group walked off but Place remained and seemed to 'get in the face' of Mr Money, who appeared to push or shove the defendant away.

But Place once again 'got on the face' of Mr Money before punching him and sending him to the floor before walking off.

Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said Mr Money had told his wife he was going to tell the skateboarders to leave at about 8.40pm.

Mr Money's wife heard him come back in at about 9.15pm but assumed he had nodded off watching TV.

It was not until about 9.45pm when he appeared at the door with blood running down his face that she realised something was wrong.

She asked how he got injured but Mr Money was not able to tell her.

An ambulance was called and he was taken to the Norfolk Norwich hospital before being transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

He spent five weeks at Addenbrooke's and a further two weeks at a head trauma unit at the Colman Hospital in Norwich.

Mr Money has suffered memory loss as a result of the incident and is still being monitored with a further hospital review due next year.

Andrew Oliver, for Place, said his client, who has no previous convictions, was 'devastated' that he had inflicted such a serious injury on Mr Money.

He said he pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to the offence, a single punch which he did not follow up.

He said he accepted he should have left and not got involved in a confrontation.

Following the sentencing Mr Money's family said they did not want to comment.

Last month they said he was 'recovering slowly' after what had been a 'hard three months – a very hard three months'.

After the assault, Notre Dame headteacher Brian Conway said there had been an 'outpouring of support' for Mr Money, who he said was a 'well-respected and long-serving' member of staff.

During his stay in hospital Mr Money was visited by Bishop Alan Hopes, the Catholic Bishop of East Anglia and staff and students sent messages of love and support to the caretaker and his family.

More than £2,000 has been raised to help Mr Money through his recovery.

Mr Conway said: 'Across the community it is quite remarkable how many people knew Roy. He really is a special person, and one of those people who really makes an impact.'

He had been the longest serving member of staff at the school and lived on site.