Man guilty of 'ferocious' unprovoked attack which hospitalised man for 5 months

A man has been convicted after another man was attacked in an horrific ambush and left in a hallway. Codey Nolan has been convicted of a serious assault after a jury found him guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent on Monday, November 11.

The verdict came at the conclusion of a six-day trial at Basildon Crown Court, during which time Nolan denied his involvement. Detectives in the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate launched an investigation after emergency services were called to Riverview Centre, Vange, shortly after 6pm on Saturday, May 4, where a seriously injured man was found in the communal hallway.

Officers followed a blood trail from the victim that led into one of the flats. Forcing entry to the address, they found signs of a disturbance and blood on the floor, indicating the victim had been dragged out of the property, into the communal hallway. The victim, a man 40s, had sustained a serious head injury as a result of the attack and he was taken to hospital in a critical condition, where he remains.

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As a result of the dedicated detectives’ investigation, Codey Nolan was quickly identified as a suspect and was traced to Brighton where he was arrested five days later. The 33-year-old of Riverview Court was charged with GBH with intent and was remanded into custody and appeared at Southend-on-Sea Magistrates' Court on Monday, May 13 2024.

Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, who led the investigation said: “It’s due to the diligence and perseverance of my officers that Codey Nolan was charged with this ferocious, unprovoked attack, causing very serious injuries from which the victim has not yet recovered. I’d like to thank them for their hard work and professionalism that led to this sentence.

The victim’s family added: “He is, and always will be, a much-loved son, brother and uncle. He has always been the most genuine and reliable friend with selfless commitment to people and humanity. Our hearts are broken by the devastating and unnecessary attack that he has suffered. This verdict goes a small way to heal the wounds.”

Codey Nolan will be sentenced at the same court on Thursday, December 5. Nolan was also charged with offering to supply Class A drugs in connection with an incident in September 2023, which he pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.