A man suffered brain injuries after being attacked outside a bar by a man high on a cocktail of cocaine and alcohol.
Simon Griffiths, 33, of Linney Square, Wigan, launched the attack outside Ice Bar in Ormskirk Street, St Helens, in the early hours of December 5 last year.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday (February 4) how Griffiths, who pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, was shown on CCTV pursuing the victim following a verbal altercation.
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The victim, 43, was shown shouting and pointing towards Griffiths, who then then took his shirt off and began to attack him.
Griffiths punched the victim four times to the head before pushing him to the ground, said Ken Grant, prosecuting.
The attack caused the victim’s head to strike the road as he fell.
Moments after the attack, Griffiths walked off leaving the man motionless.
While he was trying to put his top back on he was detained by a policeman who had been sent to the scene by the CCTV operator.
The victim was rushed to hospital and kept in for two days for observations.
A CT scan showed bruising to his brain and bleeding on the surface of the brain. He had also suffered a laceration to his left ear drum.
In court, Mr Grant explained how police noted at the time that Griffiths was very intoxicated.
He also had a slurred speech, glazed eyes and a strong smell of alcohol on his breath.
When interviewed by police, Griffiths said he had drunk more than usual and had also taken cocaine.
He claimed the victim and his son had been verbally “baiting” him in the Ice Bar which made him feel intimidated and nervous.
He said he did not want to let them get away with the way they were treating him and matters escalated.
Griffiths claimed both he and the victim had been pushing each other prior to the attack which caused him to fall on the ground.
He expressed remorse while being interviewed and was said to have been concerned about the victim’s condition, added Mr Grant.
David Polglase, defending, said that Griffiths, who has previous convictions including for violence, had pleaded guilty and was remorseful.
Mr Polgase pointed out that there was no evidence of a long term effect on the victim.
Jailing him for 18 months, Judge Garrett Byrne said that he accepted that Griffiths was genuinely remorseful.
