AN engineer who smashed the skull of a gay friend when he made advances to him was jailed for six years last Friday. Thomas Keser, 52, snapped after 63-year-old Kenneth Donoghue made homosexual advances towards him after a night of heavy drinking. He pummelled Mr Donoghue's head so violently with his fists that he crushed the facial bones around the nose and urgent surgery was required to prevent suffocation. Judge Simon Smith told Keser the victim had been left in a "pitiful state" after the attack. He added: "This was your old friend and it was also a horrific and vicious attack. "The man is some 10 years older than you and in poor health and although he physically recovered, he is most probably not likely to be the same person again. 'In what must have been considerably violent blows against a man who wasn't resisting at all, you succeeded in dislodging part of his face. "You were responsible for breaking many facial bones which impeded his breathing and without treatment he could have suffocated. "His swallowing was also impeded for a considerable time leaving his life in a pitiful state." Keser had pleaded guilty to attempted murder at the Old Bailey. The court heard Keser and Mr Donoghue had been involved in violent altercations in the past. Prosecuting Robin Sellers said: 'There is significant background to this case. "In 1990 the defendant struck Mr Donoghue and broke his jaw. "In June 1993 the defendant received a conditional discharge for a common assault. The victim in that case was Mr Donoghue. The court heard that on September 30 last year the pair downed four bottles of vodka between them before passing out in the same bed at Mr Donoghue's flat in Camberley. Keser awoke to find Mr Donoghue stroking his body and in a drunken stupor he set about Keser, punching him to the head and body. Defence barrister Stephen John said: 'The defendant says he was the subject of a homosexual advance. These two men have known each other for a very long time. "Mr Donoghue made no secret about his orientation and the defendant has been aware of that. This was not a homophobic attack. "Both these men had been drinking and the victim in his statement said they had four bottles of vodka between them. "It's a tragedy for Mr Donoghue but it's also a tragedy for Mr Keser." The court heard how Mr Donoghue had needed facial surgery to rebuild his features. Keser, of Bardsley Drive, Wrecclesham, had originally asked his ex-wife to give him an alibi and denied inflicting the injuries.
