A VIOLENT man who “cracked open” another man’s head in a row over street noise has been jailed for nearly two years.

Benjamin Roach was part of a group that ignored requests by Graeme Orlopp to be quiet in Ambrose Street, South Bank, York, Judge John Bullimore told the city’s crown court.

Mr Orlopp came out of a house into the street and in the confrontation that followed, the court heard Roach hit him hard.

“He went down and cracked his head open,” the judge told Roach. “You are a young man who is not able to keep your hands to yourself. You seem to take any opportunity to engage one way or another in violence.”

He jailed Roach for 12 months, plus 42 weeks because Roach had been on a suspended sentence at the time for two charges of actual bodily harm. Roach’s barrister, Glenn Parsons, said the two actual bodily harm offences occurred on May 8, 2009, when a group of men tried to throw Roach in the River Ouse. They let him go and as they ran off, he chased after them and hit them.

Roach, 22, of Medway House, Walmgate, York, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to Mr Orlopp.

Roach had ten or 11 previous convictions for violence, the judge said.

The court heard since the incident on August 16, 2010, Mr Orlopp had become more apprehensive when meeting people in the street.

Mr Parsons said although Mr Orlopp now had a scar, Roach had not intended to cause him permanent injury.

“The consequences were far more serious than were ever intended,” said Mr Parsons. Roach had not been part of a group that was trying to intimidate Mr Orlopp. Since being remanded in custody, Roach had had time for “soul-searching” over his behaviour.