A THUG who repeatedly jumped on a man's head during an unprovoked drunken attack has been jailed for four years.

Neil Stevenson was left unconscious and with a fractured cheekbone when his friend, Christopher Chambers, set upon him in Ilkeston.

Derby Crown Court heard that since the attack, Mr Stevenson had been paranoid about being out in public and feared his attacker would come to his home.

Prosecutor Sarah Allen said the defendant and victim had been drinking together in Ilkeston Market Place before the assault took place on June 10 last year.

She said Mr Stevenson had known Chambers, 24, for 15 years and that the pair been friends for two years.

Mrs Allen said: "The complainant describes being outside a pub having a cigarette. The defendant then shouted at him and punched him to the face.

"Numerous others were present in the Market Place.

"One was a 15-year-old schoolgirl who describes the defendant stamping on the complainant's head and jumping on his head, approximately four times."

Mrs Allen said Chambers, of Critchley Street, Ilkeston, was arrested by police the following day.

She said Mr Stevenson had been worried about returning home following the attack.

She said: "He (Mr Stevenson) did not do anything wrong. This was an unprovoked attack."

The court heard that the defendant had previously been convicted for racially abusing a shopkeeper at an off-licence.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Simon Clarke, for Chambers, said his client had chronic alcohol problems, which were the cause of his offending.

Mr Clarke said: "He does not recall anything of the incident.

"He is deeply remorseful and has spoken to me of his deep shame."

Sentencing Chambers, Judge Andrew Hamilton said: "I have no doubt that when you are sober, you are a pleasant and likeable young man.

"The trouble is that most of the time you are not sober. You were outside drinking with your friends when you decided, for no apparent reason, to punch your friend.

"He was curled up in a ball, then you went and stamped on his head.

"You could have cost him the most severe brain damage and it is lucky his injuries were not as serious as that.

"It was a disgusting thing to do."