An attacker who punched a man unconscious leaving him with life-threatening brain injuries has been told he faces a “very substantial” jail sentence.

Achilles Lawrence Gate’te, 19, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm during a series of violent incidents in Norwich’s nightclub district in the early hours of March 19 last year.

Eastern Daily Press: Police in St Vedast Street, Norwich, after the attack that left a man fighting for his lifePolice in St Vedast Street, Norwich, after the attack that left a man fighting for his life (Image: Newsquest)

During one encounter with a group of former UEA student friends he punched David Constant to the ground leaving him with injuries so severe he had to have part of his skull removed to save his life.

A jury of 10 women and four men also found him guilty of assault following a trial at Norwich Crown Court lasting 22 days.

Gate'te, of Cunningham Road, Norwich, was found not guilty of three separate charges of assault by beating.

His co-defendant Codie Marjoram, 19, was cleared of two grievous bodily harm charges and a charge of assault, but was found guilty of assaulting another member of the group who was also punched to the ground.

Eastern Daily Press: Achilles Lawrence Gate’te has been told he faces a length custodial sentence over Norwich nightclub district attack Achilles Lawrence Gate’te has been told he faces a length custodial sentence over Norwich nightclub district attack (Image: Newsquest)

Swearing as he was remanded into custody pending sentence, Gate'te was told by Judge Andrew Shaw that his actions had been so grave that he faces a “custodial sentence of some considerable length”. 

The trial had heard the attack was one of a series of violent and aggressive encounters involving Gate'te on the night.

In others he had threatened to “smash up” a kebab shop worker and “smack the ****” out of a female nightclub cloakroom attendant. 

Eastern Daily Press: Achilles Lawrence Gate’te and Codie Marjoram were both convicted of assault after attacking a group of former UEA studentsAchilles Lawrence Gate’te and Codie Marjoram were both convicted of assault after attacking a group of former UEA students (Image: Newsquest)

Following the attack on Mr Constant both Gate'te and Marjoram were seen laughing and celebrating as they ran away.

Gate'te later sent a text message boasting “we killing people” and was caught on club CCTV re-enacting his punch and laughing as he used gestures indicating that Mr Constant had been knocked unconscious. 

Eastern Daily Press: Codie Marjoram was sentenced to three months for assault Codie Marjoram was sentenced to three months for assault (Image: Newsquest)

Marjoram, of Calthorpe Road, Norwich, was sentenced to three months in a youth offenders institution but was released having already served a year on curfew.

Judge Shaw told him he had used substantial force when throwing two punches in “an ugly incident of drink-fuelled public violence”.

Gate'te will be sentenced on June 22.