A THUG who dragged a man to the ground and kicked him as he lay helpless in the street is starting a six-month jail sentence.

Anthony McLaughlin, 23, attacked his victim after a brief exchange of words in Coppergate in York in the early hours of October 15 last year.

He appeared at York Crown Court for sentence after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The court was told how McLaughlin’s victim was punched four times and kicked three times as he was lying on the ground.

Although his injuries were not severe, he was treated at York Hospital for a black eye, bruised and swollen cheek and a lump on the side of his head. He was later seen by a member of the medical team at Imphal Barracks where he was based.

When arrested and interviewed McLaughlin, of Amultree Street, Glasgow, admitted what he had done and said he had drunk about eight pints of lager, several bottles and “a few shots” during the evening. He added he had been verbally abused by his victim first.

The court was told how he already had previous convictions for violence in Scotland.

Paul Williams, mitigating, said although the victim had been kicked while on the ground, none were aimed at his head. He said McLaughlin had initially walked past the complainant and had only returned to launch his attack after being verbally abused.

He added: “Despite the fact that it was a nasty incident it was short-lived, perhaps lasting some ten seconds. There was some bruising caused but no more than that.

“On a more positive note he is motivated to address his offending behaviour. He is genuinely troubled by his further involvement in the criminal justice system.”

But Judge Stephen Ashurst said this kind of street violence had to stop.

He said: “This kind of attack where the instinct is to go for the boot is all too prevalent in York and the court has to make a stand against it.

“Worryingly, there have been three previous convictions for assault, the last being the Scottish offence of assault with serious injury.

“I don’t dispute that words were exchanged, but what is perfectly clear is that he offered you no physical violence whatsoever.”

McLaughlin was sentenced to six months in jail. He was also charged with obstructing a police officer for trying to escape when first arrested. For this he was sentenced to one month in prison to run concurrently.