A WINDOW fitter who punched a man who subsequently needed three operations on his brain was yesterday jailed for two years.

Nicholas Williams, 30, attacked 19-year-old council worker James Howells after a drinking session in the centre of Monmouth, Cardiff crown court heard.

He threw one punch, said prosecutor Liz Pearson, which resulted in Mr Howells falling backwards and striking his head on paving stones.

He underwent surgery for swellings to the brain and a blood clot.

Williams, of Chapel Close, Monmouth, was found guilty by a majority verdict of 11 to one of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Judge William Gaskell described Williams as "clearly a violent man". He said: "I accept this was a single forceful blow. Your victim was not being provocative. He was standing there and you hit him when he was defenceless and he hit his head on paving-stone slabs."

The judge said that in one operation a flap had to be cut away from his skull to relieve a swelling on the brain.

"These were life-threatening injuries, he suffered some paralysis and he can't drive," he added.

Miss Pearson said that on the night of August 10 two groups of young men - including the victim and the defendant - went drinking in Monmouth, and later went to Agincourt Square for food.

Men from each group were involved in scuffles, and although Mr Howells did not take part ,Williams went up to him and punched him in the face, causing him to fall backwards "like a dead weight".

He was taken to hospital, unconscious, bleeding from an ear and fromhis face, and later underwent surgery, the court heard.

Williams denied punching Mr Howells, and said he pushed him and "presumed" that caused him to fall backwards. The push, he said, was to his arms.

The court heard that the defendant had three previous convictions for causing actual bodily harm, one for causing grievous bodily harm, for dangerous driving, burglary and criminal damage.

Defence counsel Hugh Wallace said Williams had had an unhappy upbringing, joined the army and served in Northern Ireland.

"When he is not drunk he isn't violent. Fortunately, Mr Howells will make a full recovery within a year.

"Williams is an outdoor person and custody will be hard."