A REDDITCH man has been jailed for kicking his friend in the face while they were lying on the floor after fighting in a Redditch street.

Paul Byng, aged 49, of Exhall Close, fought his friend Nigel McCready after they had been drinking, Alex Warren, prosecuting, told Worcester Crown Court.

Mr McCready had agreed to the fight but Byng had got the better of it and they were lying end to end on the floor in Donnington Close, Redditch, when Byng kicked him in the face.

Byng pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm. The court heard that because he was wearing Wellington boots at the time, the damage was not as serious as it could have been.

Mr McCready had not made a complaint to the police because Byng was his friend and he had suffered no lasting consequences from the assault. But the charge was brought because the fight took place in a public place at about 8pm on November 1 last year in front of witnesses, including children.

Judge Robert Juckes, QC, told Byng that as he was nearly 50 it was to be hoped he had put this sort of behaviour behind him.

He jailed him for nine months minus the three months he has already spent in custody.