A judge gave a “cowardly” thug a piece of his mind after hearing he unexpectedly punched a father unconscious, ruining his life.

Ben Haywood even shook hands with Andrew Lewis to throw him off-guard before breaking his jaw and causing a bleed to his brain in Broadstairs.

The 33-year-old and another man then fled, leaving Mr Lewis lying unconscious, in clear view of a CCTV camera in George Hill Road.

Haywood admitted causing grievous bodily harm and was jailed for two years at Canterbury Crown Court.

The carpenter kept his eyes down in the dock as video footage played in court, showing him reconcile with his victim before launching the attack.

The clash came after Haywood drunk between 10-12 pints of beer and took umbrage when a shopkeeper refused to shell out cashback.

With the argument spilling onto the street Mr Lewis arrived, he then acted as peace-maker, trying to defuse tension.

Footage showed Mr Lewis extend his hand to make peace with raging Haywood, who took it in return, then walked off with his friend.

As Mr Lewis became at ease the pair soon returned and Haywood delivered a sucker-punch that changed his victim’s life, the court heard.

“You went out drinking and you had, in your words, between 10-12 pints which is too much, particularly too much for a man who has a past history of violence when drinking,” Judge Rupert Lowe said.

“Mr Lewis extended his hand which was a gesture of reconciliation, you took his hand to accept that gesture, but you were looking to get your blow in seconds after his guard was down.

“You saw an opportunity and you knocked him out with a hard blow that broke his jaw.

“It was a cowardly and vicious attack which has completely ruined that man’s life...”

“He fell backwards, in my opinion, completely knocked out and struck his head to the door, and, or floor, fracturing his skull.

“It was a cowardly and vicious attack which has completely ruined that man’s life.”

Prosecutor Gareth Burrows explained Mr Lewis has since suffered mental health, relationship, cognitive and financial problems while coming to terms with his injuries.

He said Mr Lewis still had not regained his sense of taste and smell 11 months on.

The barrister added Haywood's history of violent offending was an "aggravating feature", having racked up five offences including actual and grievous bodily harm.

Mitigating, Kerry Waite said his client, of Wickham Avenue in Ramsgate, was a hard-working father-of-three who regretted his actions on the night of November 23, 2018.

"His actions on the night of this incident, he has had difficulties comprehending why he acted that way.

"He is remorseful and he is concerned for the impact this has had upon the victim. But I do emphasise the consequences were not intended.

"This is a case of a single blow, not a repeated attack and no use of weapon," he said.

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