A thug involved in the brutal gang attack which left German student Daniel Ezzedine with life-changing brain damage has once again been spared jail for a violent assault.

Despite being warned three years ago by a judge that he was being given a "last and final chance", Michael Murray has since racked up numerous convictions where the courts have decided not to put him behind bars.

Now, having found himself back at Canterbury Crown Court for a multitude of offences, including the glassing of a pub customer, threatening a neighbour, and damaging the home he shared with his grandparents, the 22-year-old has been given another opportunity to become "a useful member of the community".

This was despite him being subject to a suspended jail term at the time, as well as his grandfather expressing fears as to what his grandson might do when high on drugs and carrying knives.

Furthermore, the young father was also handed back his XL bully dog that had been seized by police after his lawyer successfully argued at his sentencing hearing on Tuesday that Murray was "a fit and proper person" to own one.

The Canterbury resident was one of nine thugs involved in the racially motivated attack on Daniel, then 17, in the city centre during a post-exam trip in June 2019.

Daniel was left disabled, with a life-limiting brain injury, and needing round-the-clock care from his family following a beating which involved a bag of bricks and full-force kicks to the head.

He spent more than a year in hospital where he underwent surgery to remove part of his brain and have metal plates inserted into his skull.

Just six months ago, one of his brothers told KentOnline how Daniel, now 22, still relies on a wheelchair, cannot move his right hand, and requires physio, speech and occupational therapy.

Samir Ezzedine also spoke of how none of his assailants, one of whom was just 14 at the time, had apologised in the intervening five years.

Murray was 18 when he admitted violent disorder for the part he played and in June 2021 was handed a 15-month spell in a young offenders' institution, but the term was suspended for two years.

At that time he was told by Judge Simon James it was "a last and final chance to mend and change" his ways and that he needed to "grow up and be a good father" to his then unborn child.

But KentOnline can exclusively reveal that Murray has continued to flout the law, and has 13 previous convictions for 26 offences to his name.

At his latest court appearance on Tuesday, prosecutor Lucy McGarr detailed how on April 6 this year he glassed a man at the Seven Stars bar in Canterbury, and when police raided his home on an unrelated matter 10 days later it was discovered he did not have an exemption certificate for his pet dog.

Then, on April 19 he appeared before magistrates who gave him another suspended sentence order (SSO) for six offences relating to drugs, violence and driving matters.

But less than a month later he was back to his old ways, breaking two doors and a window at his grandparents' home in St Gregory's Road and threatening to "smash in" a neighbour's face while armed with knives.

The court heard the victim of the glassing in the busy pub suffered a cut to his head. Trouble flared, said Ms McGarr, after words were exchanged between Murray and "a group of boys".

"As the battle is going on, the defendant retreats, retrieves a wine glass and then uses it to hit the male over the head with it," she explained.

Murray’s XL bully dog was then seized by police on April 16 after they had gone to his home with a warrant.

Although the animal was microchipped and neutered, Murray had not applied for an exemption certificate in respect of the breed ban that came into force in February this year.

The court heard that it was on April 19 that he received a 16-week jail term suspended for two years for drug-driving, battery, driving without a licence and without insurance, destroying property and possessing drugs.

But despite being warned of the consequences of having such a punishment hanging over his head, Murray continued using drugs and acting violently, damaging beyond repair a bedroom door, a bathroom door and a window at his grandparents' home.

Police were eventually called to the property on May 29 where Michael Murray Snr reported how his grandson was acting irrationally, appeared to be under the influence, and had thrown a five-litre can of paint across the garden, damaging tiles.

The defendant then made verbal threats to smash his window and to smash the neighbour's face in…

"He had a number of knives in his pocket which the grandfather convinced him to relinquish," said Ms McGarr.

On that same day Murray had gone to the next-door neighbour's house armed with two knives and started banging on the door, demanding to see his girlfriend, the court was told.

"When the neighbour saw the knives he refused to let him in," said the prosecutor. "The defendant then made verbal threats to smash his window and to smash the neighbour's face in.

"He was kicking at the door as he made those threats."

Murray was arrested and later pleaded guilty to two offences of affray, one of criminal damage, one of possessing a fighting dog and breach of an SSO.

James Burke, defending, told the court that in respect of the pub violence, there had been some provocation from the victim's group and that Murray was not the one to land the first blow.

With the dog, he said that as well as being chipped and neutered, it was always on a lead and muzzled in public, and that there was no evidence it had ever behaved dangerously or posed a risk to anyone.

Mr Burke said the only reason the pet had not been registered was because the microchip number required for doing so was on his partner's phone and "at the time he wasn't able to communicate with her".

But arguing the animal should be returned to Murray, the lawyer added: "While this is a young man who clearly has problems that need to be addressed - and he has shown willingness to - there is nothing to suggest he isn't a fit and proper person to own a dog."

The court was also told that the pet's return would not be possible if he was jailed. Furthermore, there was no application from the prosecution for a destruction order.

In respect of his reoffending so soon after the SSO was imposed in April, Mr Burke said that although it was an aggravating feature, the requirements of the order and engagement with the probation service had "not had time to bite".

Urging that he be given a community-based punishment, Mr Burke said Murray had matured while on remand serving what was the equivalent of a 14-month sentence.

He added the defendant was now drug-free, had "some understanding" of his problems with "positive future goals" and was in a stable, two-year relationship.

"This is a young man who has had a difficult and deprived background and upbringing," explained the lawyer.

"There are reasons for him to be motivated now he has had the chance to abstain from drugs and think more carefully and reflect upon his behaviour and where he wants to go in his life."

The court heard that although Murray was still considered to be a high risk of reoffending, it was one the probation service concluded could be managed in the community.

In deciding to give him that opportunity, Judge Sarah Counsell spelt out the impact of his criminal behaviour on his loved ones by reading out his grandfather's victim statement.

Describing how he and his wife no longer felt safe in their home and the consequences on their health, Mr Murray Snr wrote: "We do not want him to live here. He needs to leave home. We don't want to put up with his behaviour.

"I'm too old to be able to chase him around. I struggle. I think he needs help with his mental health because it's not normal.

"When he is walking around with knives it makes us feel apprehensive. I don't know what he will do with them, especially when he is on drugs."

At its conclusion, Judge Counsell told Murray, who appeared via prison video link: "I hope you have listened to what your grandfather has had to say. It seems he has come to the end of his tether."

But having considered the detailed pre-sentence report, she agreed that Murray could be spared custody once more and be given what she described as a "tougher" punishment.

Imposing a 12-month jail term suspended for 18 months, the judge told him: "It is very clear in my view that your offences cross the custody threshold.

"A community order is not sufficient. It really comes down to whether a suspended sentence order is appropriate in your case and whether there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

"If I was sentencing you at the time you were committing those offences, it would seem there would be no chance of rehabilitation.

"But it seems to me if you reduce your drug use and acquire problem-thinking skills, you do have a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, will stop offending and will become a useful member of the community. Your time in custody has been well-spent and you are now drug-free.

"You need to take responsibility for your actions. You need to learn how to solve problems without resorting to criminal behaviour. You need to learn to not let violence and aggression get the better of you.

"It is perhaps a tougher sentence for you to suspend the sentence and give you the opportunity of developing into the young man you are capable of developing into."

As part of the SSO imposed for the offences of affray and criminal damage, Murray, who is now of no fixed address, was ordered to undertake drug rehabilitation for 18 months, 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, and 200 hours of unpaid work.

However, the jail term of the original SSO was not activated for the breach offence. Instead, Murray was fined £200, with a fine of the same amount for the dog offence, all of which is to be paid off at £20 a month.

As well as ordering him to obtain the exemption certificate within two months or face the dog being destroyed, Judge Counsell reminded him he now had two SSOs to comply with.

She warned: "Today is your final chance. If you commit further offences I will have no option but to activate those suspended sentences.”