“I’M really sorry mate,” a man told a judge after breaking down crying ahead of his sentencing for theft and assault.

Kyle Jones, 24, was due to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday (May 9) for one count each of theft and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The court heard that on October 11 last year, he stole £100.44 of items from the Co-Op in Grove before headbutting Kevin Crossan.

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Jones, of John Morris Road, Abingdon, said it was an act of self-defence.

Crying in court, he told the judge: “Basically, I did not know this guy because yeah I’m not denying the shoplifting but after it I don’t know this guy coming running after me and punching me in my head and I actually have a severe disability in my head and I was fearful for my life, he was punching my in the head. [sic]

“He punched me multiple times in my head and I’ve had a skull reconstruction and I was scared for that.

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“I was trying to do what was best for me innit. [Sic] That was what I said in my interview. I’m really, really sorry mate.

“It should not have happened innit. I’m really about that buddy [sic].”

His sentencing was adjourned until June 20 so he could seek legal representation.