Napier man admits hitting UK rock singer

Christiaan Briggs

Former Napier peace activist Christiaan Briggs yesterday pleaded guilty in London to assaulting a rising rock star.

Briggs, 30, admitted punching 19-year-old singer Billy Leeson following an argument on a late night bus.

Mr Leeson, lead singer of rock band Les Incompetents, who have supported Pete Doherty's group Babyshambles, fell into a coma when he hit his head on the pavement in Camden, north London.

Briggs, who turned himself into police following publicity about Mr Leeson's injuries, had acted as a human shield in Iraq in 2003 in the hope of warding off a US attack.

Briggs pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm when he appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London.

Terry Lavell, prosecuting, told the court that Mr Leeson was on his way home from a sell-out London gig with his girlfriend when he was attacked about 11pm on Thursday, June 22 this year.

"The defendant was in an altercation with a man and his girlfriend on a bus late at night," Mr Lavell said.

"The defendant had an argument involving the victim's girlfriend. The victim's girlfriend decided to get off the bus with her boyfriend. The defendant decided to go after them.

"The victim was then struck to the ground and that resulted in him hitting his head on the ground. They were strangers on the bus. They were in an argument and it escalated and it resulted in a tragedy."

Briggs, a technician at a major firm of chartered surveyors, turned himself in after police appealed for Leeson's attacker to come forward.

The singer suffered a fractured skull and had to undergo a five-hour operation during which surgeons removed a piece of bone to lessen pressure on his brain. Mr Leeson has since been allowed home from hospital and is recuperating at home.

Briggs was granted conditional bail until he is sentenced next month. His bail conditions included surrendering his passport, observing a 10pm to 7am curfew and not entering Brecknock Road, Kentish Town, north London.

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY