Thug Lesroy Lewis left a man unconscious in Bolton street before returning to stamp on his head

The incident happened last November, in Bradshawgate, when Lesroy Lewis, 29, pinned his partner against a wall at 3.20am and passer-by 44-year-old Lee Morris went to her assistance, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Appearing by video link from prison, Lewis had previously admitted his part in the attack on Mr Morris and a further affray against an innocent person a short time later. Prosecutor Simon Barrett said the incident was caught on CCTV and Lewis hit Mr Morris with a single punch to the face and left him unconscious on the pavement before returning to stamp on his head.He then attacked another person on the same stretch of road, knocking him to the ground and aiming a kick in his general direction.

Mr Barrett said after the attack Mr Morris was taken to hospital with a suspected bleed on the brain, a 2cm laceration to his eye and recurring headaches.

Although his injuries were not as severe as a first thought, in a victim impact statement Mr Morris spoke about the effect of the attack on his health and wellbeing which had left him with panic attacks and lack of trust around strangers.

He added: “He is fearful for his mental health and that on that night he could have died.”

The court heard that Lewis had a number of convictions including one for robbery in 2007 and a variety of others for violence including possession of a knife and in 2011 was given a five-year prison sentence for possession of an Enfield handgun and two live rounds of ammunition.

Defending Martin Pizzey said Lewis, of Haverfield Road, Blackley, had suffered the sudden loss of his sister last autumn and discovered his mother needed an operation for cancer.

He added: “Mr Lewis has written a letter, that he has thought about this particular case. It’s to apologise, but more specifically, to apologise to the victim of this assault.”

Sentencing him Miss Recorder Goode said: “The intervention by Mr Morris was quite understandable and all that all that he does is to express regret.”

She said Lewis had been given the opportunity to turn his life around after his most recent prison sentence and was out with his partner on what should have been a very pleasant night out.

She explained: “Mr Morris was interfering to protect that young woman and you reacted to this interference by punching him to the ground. Before someone in a large group tried to restrain you but your reaction was to go back and to stamp on his head. And again, when you attacked a second unknown victim who fell to the ground you sent a kick out again.

“In my judgement this was a prolonged in the sense of a deliberate and determined attack. It seems to me that the public need to be protected.”

Lewis was sentenced to five years, four months in prison for the attack on Mr Morris with an extended licence of four years, and two years for the affray of the unknown man to run concurrent, taking it to nine years four months. He will have to serve two-thirds of the sentence in prison and on release will be subject to the special conditions attached to the licence. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £170.