A SWINDON bank worker who subjected a woman friend to serious and gratuitous violence has been jailed for six years.

After a drinking session Clive Marsh suddenly attacked his friend Alexandria Nolan outside the Seventeen Black club in Cirencester.

She suffered multiple injuries, including a fracture of the eye socket and two fractures of the nose, prosecutor Julian Kesner told Gloucester Crown Court.

Ten months on she suffers pain in her jaw and her vision and breathing have been affected.

Zambian-born Marsh, of Stockpole Crescent, Swindon, who had never been in trouble with the law before, admitted to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Ms Nolan with intent.

Judge William Hart said: “Why you did it is impossible to discern, save for the fact that you were undoubtedly very heavily intoxicated with alcohol.”

“I would not be surprised if that was not added to by other illicit substances.”

The court had been told that Marsh was drinking “snakebites” for the first time that night.

“You punched her to the ground and you continued to rain blows to her head and face in a sustained and frenzied attack,” the judge said.

Marsh took no notice of the efforts of another woman friend to stop him attacking Ms Nolan.

“When Miss Nolan finally lay unconscious on the floor you kicked her to the head,” said the judge.

“I am told that when you saw the pictures of the injuries you inflicted on her you were physically sick.

“That shows the nature of what you had done and the truly horrific nature of what happened to her.”

Ms Nolan had since been having nightmares and had lost her relationship with her boyfriend because her personality had changed from outgoing to withdrawn as a result of her ordeal, the judge said.

Mr Kesner told the court the incident happened on February16 when Marsh was visiting Cirencester.

Ms Nolan was working until 10pm but then went to meet him – by which time he was already drunk and had got into a confrontation at the club which resulted in him being escorted out.

Dermot Clarke, defending, said Marsh has no recollection of the attack.

He is very remorseful and would like to be able to meet Ms Nolan to apologise, he said.

“His family cannot believe what has happened. Since February he no longer drinks and he no longer takes recreational drugs. He realises alcohol was a contributing factor.

“He had been drinking snakebites and had never drunk them before.”

Marsh had always been in work and was employed by a national bank until he quit after the attack because he did not want his offence to embarrass his colleagues and employers, said Mr Clarke.