AN AMATEUR boxer who broke a man’s jaw during a Christmas Eve family gathering has been jailed for 22 months.

Christopher Lewis, 26, forced his way into the house where his former girlfriend was with other members of her family on December 24, said Heather Gilmore, prosecuting at York Crown Court.

He “saw red” and hit her new boyfriend repeatedly in the face until his ex-partner hit him, she added.

The victim had to have a metal plate inserted into his jaw under general anaesthetic to repair it.

For Lewis, Laura Addy said he had a long-standing history of mental illness including a diagnosis of paranoiac schizophrenia and had been upset by a comment in a telephone conversation with his former girlfriend earlier the same day.

Recorder Andrew Dallas said a psychiatrist engaged by the defence team had concluded mental illness had not been the cause of the attack.

“You have some degree of skill in boxing,” he told Lewis. “That comes with responsibilities. You are potentially a dangerous person with your fists.”

Lewis, of Ordnance Lane, Fulford, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.

He jailed Lewis for 22 months.

He was on a conditional discharge at the time for assaulting two police officers, criminal damage, possessing a Class C drug and criminal damage.

All five offences related to a drunken outburst in the Accident and Emergency Department of York Hospital when he had been so violent staff had been unable to do their work until police removed him from the premises.

Ms Addy said Lewis had been trying to do two jobs, in a nursery and in a pub, until he had a breakdown.

Ms Gilmore said Lewis and his ex-partner talked on the telephone in the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

Ten minutes after the phone call ended, Lewis arrived at the house and forced his way in despite being told to go away.

Immediately after the assault, Lewis had left the house and returned later.

“He refused to apologise but said this won’t happen again,” said Ms Gilmore.