Corby thug who stamped on boy's head in town centre after drinking 'industrial quantities of alcohol' walks free from court

A Corby man who jumped several times on a boy's head in the town centre has been given a suspended jail term after a judge heard details of how he has managed to turn around his life.

Kye Francis was part of a group who, in June last year, attacked the teen at the junction of George Street and Corporation Street following an argument.

The young man had his head stamped on, was left unconscious and suffered a broken eye socket.

Francis's pal Alexi Da'Costa has already been sentenced for his part in the attack, which happened while Da'Costa was subject to a suspended jail sentence for possession of class-A drugs with intent to supply and while Francis was on court bail for another offence.

The court was told that Francis, 19, had thrown a drink over the boy and then, when he had been pushed to the ground, stamped on his head a number of times.

The incident was caught on CCTV and operators contacted police.

Francis has previous criminal history dating back to 2019 when he was found guilty of cannabis possession. He also has convictions for possession of diamorphine with intent to supply, knife possession, and driving while disqualified and without insurance. None of those convictions could be reported by this paper because of the defendant's age.

He appeared at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (Thursday, March 24) to plead guilty to affray.

Judge Rupert Mayo heard how Francis had had 'turbulent early years' and had been diagnosed with oppositional defiance disorder. On the night in question he had consumed 'industrial quantities of alcohol'.

His barrister told the court how Francis's aggression was 'learned behaviour' from his own violent childhood.

But more recently he had been helped by the leaving care team and had moved out of the town and had started working as a forklift driver.

Judge Mayo said: "I hope you're ashamed of yourself for jumping on somebody, especially when they appear to be unconscious.

"If you were older you'd be getting a minimum of a 20-month sentence of immediate custody."

He gave Francis a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months and warned him that he would go to jail if he committed any other offence.

Francis was also ordered to wear GPS tracker that can be monitored by probation officers for three months, and to live in his home address for the same amount of time.

He was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation requirement days.

Corby police have made use of dispersal order powers during recent years after gangs of youths caused ongoing trouble in the George Street and Corporation Street area.

Just two weeks before the George Street incident, 16-year-old Rayon Pennycook was murdered after a gang argument in nearby Reynolds Road.

And back in 1993, in one of Corby's most tragic murders, 18-year-old Iain Dyne was killed in Everest Lane when a gang kicked and stamped on him, leaving him for dead. Four boys - Leon Hill, Frazer Smith, Ross Smith and Scott McEwan were jailed over his killing.