A THUG who punched a “gallant” man to the ground in Stourbridge town centre before brutally kicking and stamping on his head has been locked up for eight years.

Judge Nicholas Webb described the vicious attack carried out by Joshua Bernard on Callum Duncan as “dreadful” adding: “You could so easily have killed him.”

Alex Warren, prosecuting, said Mr Duncan was an innocent stranger and had suffered a shattered nose and a fractured cheekbone.

Wolverhampton Crown Court was told that a footprint was also found on his forehead and he had no recollection afterwards of the incident, which took place in High Street, Stourbridge.

“This was a totally unprovoked attack on somebody you did not know who had been drinking in a different pub,” the judge told Bernard – who had taken a cocktail of drink and drugs while out celebrating his 21st birthday.

“The only reason he crossed your path was because you had been in an argument with your girlfriend who spoke to him.

“In a spirit of courtesy and perhaps gallantry, he crossed the road to see what the problem was. Then, without warning, you attacked him with your fists and feet.

“After punching, kicking and stamping on his head and when he was lying unconscious on the ground, you approached again and unleashed an almighty kick that moved his head a considerable distance.”

Mr Warren said Bernard had been arguing with his girlfriend in the early hours and she had called out to Mr Duncan who had been passing on the opposite side of the road.

He was walking towards the woman, but before he could reach her Bernard burst forward and knocked him to the ground with a single punch.

He was then kicked and stamped on before the girlfriend managed to pull him away, but as she tried to care for the unconscious and defenceless man Bernard returned and kicked him hard in the head.

The beating was picked up on CCTV cameras operating in Stourbridge town centre and officers who were quickly on the scene arrested Bernard after a short chase.

When questioned later Bernard told the officers he had drunk champagne, brandy, 10 shots of Sambuca, had taken cocaine and then shared two jugs of vodka and Red Bull with his girlfriend.

Bernard told police he could remember nothing of the incident because of the drink and drugs and when shown the CCTV footage he said: “That was sick – beyond disgusting.”

He pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and the judge ruled it was such a serious attack only a substantial prison sentence was appropriate.

Harpreet Sandhu, defending, said Bernard of Gower Street, All Saints, Wolverhampton, continued to feel “revolted” by his actions.

He added: “His ingestion of cocaine coupled with copious amounts of alcohol had been fuelled by an argument with his girlfriend. It was then the victim unwittingly came onto the scene.”