A 23-year-old who left a man with a fractured jaw after attacking him at a fast food store has been jailed for 15 months.

Kevin Thornton punched his victim so hard he suffered a double break which needed an operation to insert a plate to put it back together.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court on Thursday how victim Mark Hamblin had been out with friends in Chippenham on the evening of Thursday, March 11 last year.

At the end of the evening he was in the garden of Bar 11 having a cigarette with his girlfriend and other friends when the defendant was rude to him.

He said there was a short argument between them which ended with them shaking hands and Mr Hamblin thought it was the end of it.

When the bar closed the victim’s group left and went to a nearby fast food shop and one of Mr Hamblin’s friends threw come coins at Thornton to antagonise him.

“It had the affect of antagonising him and he turned and accused Mr Hamblin of having thrown the coins,” he said.

“There then ensued a number of rude exchanged between them. Mr Hamblin said ‘if you want to sort it out let’s talk outside. I’m not having trouble in front of the girls’.”

Mr Meeke said the victim told the defendant to behave himself but when he was looking away Thornton punched him to the face and stomach.

Although he was knocked to the ground Mr Hamblin managed to get his attacker into a head lock but when he released him he ran off.

As a result of the attack he was found to have suffered a broken jaw which had to be operated on under general anaesthetic.

When he was questioned Thornton said he could recall having an argument but nor striking anyone claiming alcohol induced amnesia.

Thornton, of North End, Calne, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm.

Andrew Eddy, defending, said “He is sorry for the injury he caused the complainant. This has had a sobering effect on him. He has not been out drinking since the incident.”

He said he accepts he was drunk at the time which acted as an inhibitor as well as making it difficult for him to remember what happened.

Jailing him Judge Douglas Field said: “This was a completely inexcusable drunken attack.

“My reading of the situation is that you have been drinking that evening and got very drunk and as so often happens in these occasions there’s violence after the drinking establishment shuts.

“You punched your victim so hard you broke his jaw in two places. It required an operation and he was in hospital for six days.”