A 'SUSTAINED and violent' attack after initially defending himself has landed a Wrexham man a jail sentence.

Steven Hughes, 29, of Edward Street, was jailed for 10 months by Recorder Duncan Bould at Mold Crown Court on Thursday for causing grievous bodily harm without intent following an incident in Wrexham on May 22 this year.

The court was told that Hughes, who pleaded guilty at the first magistrates hearing in September, was attacked in the street by his victim Scott Griffiths following an earlier altercation.

It was then shown how after Mr Griffiths threw the first punch, Hughes gained the upper hand and lifted him off his feet, twisted him in the air and slammed his head onto the concrete, before punching him twice more while unconscious.

The victim was left with multiple fractures in his skull, eye socket, jaw, among other areas of his body and Hughes was arrested by officers after he explained what happened.

In sentencing him, Recorder Bould told Hughes that while he was a man of previous good character, with a number of references in his favour, he would have to be jailed immediately because of the nature of the attack.

He added: "I’ve been looking to see what the explanation was for your extremely violent behaviour.

"It started with the victim throwing a punch at you.

"You are much bigger, you easily overpowered him but what sticks out most from the footage is that a gentleman came from a nearby pub to break the fight up.

"But it continued – you could have and clearly should have walked away but you lost your temper.

"When a big man picks up a smaller man and throws him on a concrete floor, if that person wasn't immediately sent into custody then the public would wonder what we’re doing to protect them.

"I can’t think how this sentence can be suspended.

"It was sustained – it should have been over when that door supervisor intervened but it became violent.

"There is no doubt your victim’s injuries came from when you threw him on the floor and you continued to assault him with two further blows.

"Those injuries including fractures to his skull, could have been more serious and you had no control over what those blows could have had on him."

Hughes was jailed for 15 months, reduced to 10 for an early plea and will serve half on licence.

He received no further penalty after admitting a charge of possession of cocaine.