A SOLDIER who served in Iraq told last night how he was brutally attacked by a vigilante who wrongly believed he had threatened to rape a female.

Russell Desmond, 25, who serves with the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, says he was told he "would never breathe again", and beaten with a wooden truncheon.

Mr Desmond was one of 44 Territorial Army soldiers who were presented with medals by The Duke of Gloucester in Monmouth earlier this week for their tour of duty in Iraq.

At Newport crown court yesterday, Ieuan Morris, prosecuting, said that Mark Spruce told the defendant, Hugh Early, that "Mr Desmond had threatened to rape a female".

That allegation was never proved, police said after the hearing. Motorway maintenance worker Early, 48, of Hassocks Lea, Cwmbran, was jailed for three years yesterday for the vicious assault.

After the hearing, Mr Desmond said: "He held the bat under my chin. He said, 'I'm going to kill you if you get the police involved'.

"He said I would never breathe again and never walk again."

The court heard the assault, in April, was also sparked because Early heard Mr Desmond, of Blenheim Square, Cwmbran, had allegedly harassed another female.

He and co-defendants Spruce, 35, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named, broke in to Mr Desmond's flat. They all later admitted aggravated burglary.

Spruce, of Waiden Grange Close, Newport, and the youth stood by while father of four Early attacked Mr Desmond. "I woke up when he hit me with the bat," Mr Desmond said after the hearing.

He said he was struck several times about the head. Early then pinned Mr Desmond against the wall. The attack lasted 20 minutes.

Mr Desmond said: "I was covered in blood from head to foot."

Mr Desmond was cut on his face and ears and had a bruised chest. In court, Mr Morris said a bloodied truncheon was found at Early's flat. Ron Christie, defending Early, said his client "flipped" and wanted to "teach him (Mr Desmond) a lesson".

Spruce and the teenager were both given a 200-hour community punishment order.

Detective Constable Wendy Keepin, of Gwent Police, said after the hearing: "This sentence sends a clear message that the courts will not tolerate people breaking into homes and assaulting the owners," she said.