A SOLITARY punch inflicted on a 35-year-old soldier has had a devastating effect on his life, a court was told.

The man, who has not been named, suffered a brain haemorrhage and was on a life support machine for a time, said Jonathan Veasey-Pugh, prosecuting.

His attacker, 22-year-old Ashley Sutor-Jones, of Sycamore Avenue, Redditch, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Both men had been celebrating in Redditch town centre in October last year, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Sutor-Jones was told that the other man had assaulted a friend so he struck out in an unprovoked attack and knocked him to the ground. He was in hospital for a long time and was still suffering after-effects.

Richard Hull, for Sutor-Jones, said he was full of remorse. He had carried out the attack out of misguided loyalty to a friend and had handed himself into police the next day.

Recorder Anthony Potter described it as a "life-changing incident" not only for the victim but also for his family.