A MAN who mounted a serious street attack after leaving a nightclub has been jailed for 18 months.

Victim James Bruton suffered a broken arm and ended up as a voluntary in-patient in a mental hospital because of the effects of the crime.

He was unable to give evidence at the trial last year in Hereford Crown Court of Kieran Rao after a nervous breakdown and was said by prosecutor William Rickarby to have sustained a brain injury.

Rao, aged 25, of The Walnuts, Hanley Swan, was cleared by the jury of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after Mr Bruton’s girlfriend Domonique Young – also attacked by Rao – gave evidence.

But Rao pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Bruton and admitted common assault on Miss Young.

Sitting at Worcester Crown Court, Recorder Christopher Hotten QC said it was likely that Mr Bruton was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He was left with an eight-inch scar on his arm.

The recorder said there no evidence of kicking but Rao had repeatedly punched Mr Bruton after knocking him to the ground.

He had been caused “significant psychological harm” and Miss Young was now nervous about going out at night.

There was a history of problems between Rao and Mr Bruton and on August 23, 2010 they had been with different groups of friends in Tramps nightclub, Worcester.

Both men were the worse for drink – and outside Mr Bruton threw a punch at Rao before walking off with Miss Young. The recorder said Rao followed them.

Defence counsel Julian Harris accepted that custody was inevitable but said a probation report indicated Rao only posed a medium risk in the future.

The recorder passed a three-year restraining order forbidding Rao from contacting Mr Bruton.