A young dad-of-three kicked a man in the head as he lay unconscious on the ground during a random attack on four innocent passers-by in Canterbury.

“Foul-tempered” Shae Elks booted his defenceless victim in the face multiple times, leaving him with a broken jaw and a head wound requiring nine stitches.

He also left two of his other victims out cold during the drink and drug-fuelled attack on the city wall near the Dane John.

Now the 22-year-old – who became a dad at 13 and has a fourth child on the way – has been jailed for nine years for the vicious assaults.

Elks, of Windsor Road, Canterbury, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent on Garry Chambers during the incident in August last year.

He also admitting assaulting Charlie Bone, Connor Stroud and Howard Sanders.

A fifth charge of assaulting Leah Holloway was left on the file after he denied that charge.

Judge James O’Mahony told Elks he had been “full of drink and drugs” when his group came across a “peaceful and law-abiding” group making their way to the railway station.

“For no sensible reason you set about no less than four victims with such power and force they could hardly defend themselves,” he said.

“You admitted to the police that you have a foul temper. Your constant use of drugs at the time was at the heart of this matter.”

Prosecutor Ian Foinette told Canterbury Crown Court that a large group of friends and work colleagues were walking along the city wall path heading for the footbridge across the ring road.

He said words were exchanged and Elks took exception when one of the group called him “monobrow”.

Victim Mr Bone went to help his friends and was punched unconscious and then Mr Chambers went to his assistance.

The next thing Mr Chambers recalled was waking up on the ground covered in blood.

“He has no recollection of what happened and Mr Stroud had also been laid out by the defendant and woke up on the ground,” said the prosecutor.

“A number of the women in the large group went to the assistance of the men and some of them saw Elks kicking Mr Chambers in the head while he lay unconscious on the ground,” said Mr Foinette.

Police arrived and arrested Elks, who had tried to change his clothes, but told officers he knew it was wrong to attack the group.

Elks added that he had been taking drink and drugs prior to the incident and admitted losing his temper.

He said: “I could not control myself.

“I’ve got a very bad temper and when I go I just go. I know I shouldn’t have taken it that far. I was wrong.”

Phil Rowley, defending, said Elks had a difficult upbringing and had faced “a number of difficult challenges in his life and his level of intellectual function is comparatively low”.