Two drunk thugs launched a vicious and unprovoked assault on an off-duty policeman and his son outside a taxi office.
Lee Jones and Connor Williams repeatedly punched and kicked their victims to the head and body even as the men lay defenceless on the ground.
Sending the pair down, a judge described the late-night events as "gratuitous violence".
Swansea Crown Court heard that the victims - a serving South Wales Police officer and his adult son - went out for a drink together in Pontardawe town centre on the night of August 14 last year.
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Nicola Powell, prosecuting, said at around 1am the following morning the pair made their way to the A&M taxi office on Herbert Street to get a cab home - on the street outside the officer was a large group of people who appeared to be drunk. The officer and his son went into the office and requested a lift, and then sat waiting for their ride.
A short time later one of the females from the group on the street entered the office and began shouting and swearing at staff, telling them not to give a taxi to "them two w***ers" - indicating towards the waiting father and son - ahead of her and her friends.
Miss Powell said the woman then recognised the son as someone she had gone to school with, and the pair began talking - something which angered defendant Jones who was outside. The court heard 35-year-old Jones began banging on the window of the office and shouting words to the effect of "Don't touch my missus".
The woman and the son and his dad went outside to explain they were old school friends but Jones forcefully pushed the son - the father intervened, and he was set upon by Jones and co-defendant Williams. The prosecutor said the father was "swung" by his arm into a taxi parked on the road and fell to the ground, and Jones and 22-year-old Williams began to deliver a series of punches to his head and body. As the victim lay on his back on the floor Williams then kneed him in the face while Jones continued to punch him. The officer was also kicked to the side of the head.
The prosecutor said the officer's son went to help his father and pulled Jones off his dad - Jones then turned his attention to the son, repeatedly punching him and taking him to the floor and then stamping on his head as he lay defenceless on the ground.
The assailants and a number of people from their group then jumped into a taxi and left the scene.
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The court heard both the injured men subsequently went to Morriston Hospital suffering with cuts and bruises - and a CT scan revealed the off-duty officer also had a fractured eye socket.
The defendants were arrested on August 16 after being identified from CCTV footage at the cab office.
The off-duty officer declined to provide a victim personal statement to the court. However, in his son's statement - which was read to court - he said his dad had just been trying to get home after an enjoyable night out together before they were subjected to an unprovoked attack. He added that he hated any kind of violence and described it being very upsetting to see his father being injured.
Jones, of Bethel Road, Lower Cwmtwrch, had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent and to inflicting grievous bodily harm when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.
Williams, of Tan y Darren, Cilmaengwyn, Pontardawe, had previously pleaded guilty inflicting grievous bodily harm when he appeared alongside his co-defendant.
Jones has previous convictions for offences including battery, criminal damage, harassment, motoring matters, and possession of cannabis. Williams has previous convictions for offences including common assault, criminal damage, taking a vehicle without consent, and sending offensive messages.
Jon Tarrant, for Jones, said the defendant had three children all of whom lived in care, but there were hopes that they one day may return to live with him. He said Jones had expressed his remorse for what had happened on the night in question, and added that the defendant’s partner was five months pregnant.
Lee Davies, for Williams, said a pre-sentence report had identified immaturity and mental health issues in the defendant, and he said his client could make no excuses for his behaviour outside the taxi office and wanted to apologise.
Judge Catherine Richards told the defendants they had engaged in "gratuitous violence". She said while Jones had instigated the incident, Williams had "quickly and willingly joined in".
With discounts for their guilty pleas Jones was sentenced to three years in prison, and Williams to 18 months in prison. The defendants will serve up to half those periods in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.
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