THUG Gavin Jackson, who left a teenager with brain injuries after a brutal town centre attack, has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Jackson, 29, of Rabley Wood View, Marlborough, landed nine punches on his victim, Ben Allinson, after knocking him to the ground.

Jackson walked away from the incident in Marlborough High Street not realising the attack had been caught on CCTV, Swindon Crown Court heard on Monday.

Both men were in the Azuza nightclub in the early hours of Sunday, January 22, last year when there had been a row between them.

At about 2.30am they could be seen outside, at the side of the road close to Hughenden Yard, when Jackson launched the violent attack.

Mark Ruffell, prosecuting, said: “After a bit of conversation it looks like the defendant head butts or pushes or punches the victim who falls back to the ground. Whilst he appears to lie motionless it looks like he received about nine punches to the head area.”

Mr Allinson was found with severe swelling to one side of his face. He had suffered a fractured cheekbone, though it did not require surgery.

He said a CAT scan showed bruising to the frontal an temporal lobes and also within the substance of the brain.

But, as a result of the injuries, Mr Allinson was found to have a condition which meant the level of platelets in his blood was lower than normal.

The court heard that as a result he bruises more easily than someone without the condition following any form of trauma, which also explained the severity of the swelling. In a victim impact statement Mr Allinson said that he was recovering physically from the injuries but was unable to work for a long period.

As he had a job on a farm he was also not able to drive a tractor for a while because of the head injury.

Jackson pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. William Woodman, defending, said his client thought the victim was about to do something so he punched him.

He said the incident was out of character for Jackson and fortunately there did not appear to have been any long lasting injury. The incident took place more than a year ago, he said, and he had not been in any more trouble and had not drunk alcohol since.

“He says himself that he is disgusted with himself and fully accepts responsibility,” he said.

Judge Douglas Field said: “I watched the CCTV and I saw you deliver punches, nine in all, to your victim as he was on the ground.

“Your victim lost consciousness and suffered injuries to the cheek and head.

“I accept that you are now very remorseful and the way you behaved was out of character and a large number of people think very well of you. The matter is so serious I do have to pass an immediate custodial sentence.”