Bosses at a college where a man was brutally beaten over the head with an iron bar today sought to reassure staff and students the incident was a one-off.

Thug Stephen Evans was jailed for life last week after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Kevin Beale, a fellow student at South East Essex College, in Carnarvon Road, Southend.

A row started between the two men while on a computer course for people with learning difficulties and Evans, of Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff, battered Mr Beale with the bar so hard he spent two days in hospital and needed 19 stitches.

A college spokesman said: "It is extremely regrettable something like this happened in a college car park. This incident is unique in the history of the college and does not relate in any way to the everyday life of the college.

"The police were invited to the college to review our security arrangements following the incident and were advised the measures we have in place were satisfactory.

"We are looking into ways of ensuring even greater security and safety for all our staff and students."

Published Monday, June 16, 2003

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