A thug who left a man crippled after attacking him with a metal bar outside his home has been jailed for eight years.

Billy Rye, 24, continues to maintain he was not involved in the vicious attack that ended with Ben Kennedy suffering two fractures to his spine.

He was convicted in February of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and affray. His father Valentine Deval, 58, was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm and affray. He has since died after an illness.

The victim was set upon outside his home in West View Road, Swanley, after his brother was followed by two men hurling abuse at him.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Mr Kennedy was asleep at home when his brother Jason woke him to tell him what had happened in the early hours of September 24, 2011.

Prosecutor Hugh French said an altercation took place between the four in the street. "Words were exchanged and there was a bit of pushing and shoving," he said.

A few minutes later, the Kennedy brothers heard banging on their front door and were confronted by the two men, two other men and two girls.

Billy Rye was jailed at Maidstone Crown Court

The Kennedys were accused of breaking an arm of one of those in the group. Ben Kennedy was then felled by the bar. He suffered two fractures to the wings of his vertebrae.

Jason Kennedy was also attacked, but he managed to grab the bar and follow the assailants to nearby Mountain Hill, where the father and son lived.

Ben Kennedy, father of a five-year-old girl, told in a victim statement how he had been unable to work as a rigger since the attack. "Since that day my life has changed for the worst," he added.

Siobhan Molloy, defending, told the court: "He does not acc ept the guilty verdicts. He says he was not there or involved."

"that single blow had the effect you desired. you have no mitigation. no remorse has been shown..." – judge philip st john-stevens

His father's recent death, she said, had a huge impact on him. He was "absolutely devastated".

Miss Molloy said the offence was a huge escalation for Rye. "I ask that the court deals with him with compassion," she added. "If he was present, he behaved extremely recklessly."

Judge Philip St John-Stevens said Rye had either a metal bar or a tyre wrench when he attacked the victim. Others had weapons such as canes.

"Your intent was clear," he said. "From the moment you knocked on the door and when Ben Kennedy came out, you waved that bar. Your intent was to cause him really serious injury.

"You struck his spine. The injuries completely changed his life. That single blow had the effect you desired. You have no mitigation. No remorse has been shown."