The partner of firefighter Paul Reeve has told of the last moment he spoke to her before he was paralysed for life.

Helen Shepherd was pregnant when the father of her children made the fateful decision to go to the Eagle Tavern in Rochester.

In a statement read to Maidstone Crown Court, the mum-of-three said: "I can remember the night of the 28th September 2019 vividly in my mind.

"I was five months pregnant and we had spent the day together as a family.

"Paul came over to me on the sofa, kissed my pregnant stomach and said that he loved us before walking to the front door. Paul did not come home."

Later that night, the 42-year-old firefighter became the victim of an "unprovoked and unjustified" violent push and kick by Lewis Hayes, leaving him in a coma.

Hayes, of Eden Avenue, Walderslade has now been jailed for 30 months after admitting inflicting grievous bodily harm

"Two years ago that expectation was ripped away when Paul was assaulted whilst enjoying a night out with his friends and colleagues..."

A jury acquitted him of the more serious charge of causing the injury intentionally.

The court was packed with many of Mr Reeve's colleagues in the fire service who have supported his partner and family throughout the trial and sentencing.

Ms Shepherd told Judge Julian Smith how she had met Paul in 2006 "and soon our friendship became so much more, developing into love and ultimately I felt that with Paul, I could plan for a life together and seek the future that any other young couple would wish for.

"Two years ago that expectation was ripped away when Paul was assaulted whilst enjoying a night out with his friends and colleagues."

At his trial, the jury were shown CCTV footage of Hayes pushing Mr Reeve violently to the ground before kicking him in the head

Hayes admitted attacking Mr Reeve in the head but claimed he had no memory of it.

Father-of-two Hayes, 24, said he had not intended to hurt Mr Reeve who has been unable to speak since the incident two years ago.

Hayes had been drinking in four pubs that night and became upset at the attention shown by Mr Reeve and a friend towards women in Hayes' group.

He added: "After seeing the CCTV footage I fully accept I pushed him and then kicked out with my left foot and it connected with his head. I don't remember kicking. Everything happened so quickly."

Prosecutor Ed Fowler told how following the incident, Mr Reeve got up but then collapsed just yards from the pub and was taken to hospital with a brain injury which has left him unable to speak.

Ms Shepherd, in her statement, added: "Paul was my soulmate and there was an expectation that, in due course, our children would be able to experience the joys that a family unit experiences with love, laughter and memories.

"Today the only memories lodged inside of me are that of being told of the attack on my fiance and the ensuing pain and horror of being asked to be normal when I was not able to recall what real normal was.

"My normal today is soldiering on, being strong and steadfast for my children. All we had planned was once a dream. Now it's a nightmare."

Ms Shepherd was in court to hear the judge say the incident was "an utter tragedy" and watching the CCTV of the incident had been "shocking".

He told Hayes his kick had "taken away, in any meaningful sense, Mr Reeve's life."

Tom Stern, defending, said: "He felt a high sense of penitence and genuine remorse."

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