A consensual fist fight between two bare-chested men ended with the winner kicking his opponent in the face as he lay defenceless.
CCTV footage captured an incident involving 34-year-old Guntis Brauers and Edgirs Fjodorovo outside a flat at Arnison Court in Penrith on March 14 2025.
Prosecutor George Shelley told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court: “It is a situation where there appears, in the first instance, to be a consensual fist fight between the two parties.
“Mr Brauers gets the better of the victim, who goes to the floor and appears to be in a state of brief unconsciousness.”
After that initial altercation, Brauers could be seen on video footage to deliver two punches as Mr Fjodorovo laid on the ground.
Brauers returned to the flat. But within seconds he returned, appearing to shout something while standing over the other man.
“He proceeds to kick the victim to the head,” said Mr Shelley.
Mr Fjodorovo later attended hospital and was found to have sustained a fractured neck bone. He was fitted with a neck collar and later spoke of losing thousands of pounds in wages while off work.
Brauers, now of Hunter Lane, Penrith, was brought to court and admitted an actual bodily harm assault charge.
It was claimed during a previous court hearing that he had been subjected to name-calling and insults, resulting in the fight.
He was punished today following the preparation of a a probation service pre-sentence report.
District judge Philip Holden took into account Brauers’ guilty plea, that he was employed and had complied with a previous court punishment.
As a result, he suspended a 12-month prison term for two years, concluding that there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
“You undoubtedly won that fight and Mr Fjodorovo was prone on the floor when you punched him, initially, and you returned a short while later and delivered a kick to his face, causing him to lose consciousness,” said the judge.
“That was a cowardly act, in my judgement; to deliver a kick to somebody who was on the floor in a vulnerable state.”
Brauers must complete rehabilitation work with the probation service, a three-month alcohol treatment requirement and 100 hours’ unpaid work.
He must also pay the victim £500 compensation.
