Men convicted of attack on gay squatter

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A man who attacked his former lover has been convicted of assault, criminal damage and theft.

Jonathan Wicks and his co-defendant Neil Warner, both 21, smashed ceramic vase over the head of Kieran Dulai and beat him with a curtain rod.

Mr Dulai, 21, was also splattered with blood and detergent in the hour-long assault.

Wicks admitted assault, criminal damage and theft, which Warner was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Warner was acquitted of one count of common assault, one of racially aggravated damage to property and one of damaging property following a trial.

Kim Marrero, a former X-Factor contestant, was cleared of assault.

Reading Crown Court had heard how Mr Dulai had been attacked in the flat he was squatting in on April 24th last year.

Speaking to GetReading.co.uk, Mr Dulai said he had suffered panic attacks since the incident and struggled with “intense” physical pain.

He said: “To have the people I thought were my friends attack me like they did is shocking.

“It was difficult to go out and be on my own in public after the attack. Even going to the park was hard. As soon as it got dark I would start to have a panic attack.”

Mr Dulai also paid tribute to his mother Liz for supporting him.

He said: “We didn’t always get on when I was younger but in the past year we have got on. She has been with me every step of the way.

“I want to move on from this. Now the verdict is in I can rest. My life is no longer on hold – I can go on holiday and move on.”

Wicks and Warner will be sentenced on Friday June 5th.

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