A THUG pounded the face of an unconscious man “like a hammer hitting an anvil”, York Crown Court heard.

Colin Coombes, 59, used his arm “in such a way to maximise the force behind his blows” as he hit the victim four times with his fist, said Gareth Henderson-Moore, prosecuting.

The victim was “completely defenceless” as he lay unconscious on the ground in Stonegate in York city centre, said the barrister.

After watching CCTV of the attack late on February 22 last year, the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris said: “It is like a hammer hitting an anvil.”

Jailing Coombes for six months, he said: “People who go out in the city of York don’t want to witness sickening violence.

“An attack on a man who is on the ground, who is unconscious, means prison.”

Construction site manager Coombes, of Sandy Lane, Stockton-on-the-Forest, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm.

His solicitor advocate Kevin Blount told the court that Coombes had initially acted in self defence but accepted that his actions after he got the victim on the ground were not lawful.

Coombes was ashamed and remorseful over his actions.

Mr Henderson-Moore said Coombes and the victim had encountered each other in a pub when both were on a night out with different groups.

Later both groups were involved in an incident in Stonegate out of sight of the CCTV camera.

The CCTV captured Coombes staggering backwards. Then Coombes pushed or punched the victim to the ground, causing facial injuries.

The judge accepted Coombes had been “to a degree” provoked.

Mr Blount said Coombes had acted out of character and had not planned the attack in advance.

He cared for his very elderly father. Coombes had his own health problems including two forms of arthritis that affected the strength of his arm and his ability to clench his fist, said the defence solicitor.