A drug-dazed thug who hit a man with a hammer was caught by police after running straight into a lamp post.

Hapless brute Mark Moir ripped open David Ripley's cheek in the attack before fleeing from a drugs den in Eastbourne.

But officers scooped him up after he ran into a lamp post while making his escape.

Judge Davie Rennie at Hove Crown Court jailed Moir for 21 months.

He was earlier told how Mr Ripley needed nine stitches after he was hit in the face by Moir during a fight outside the den..

Mr Ripley's wife Julie was left bruised after she tried to intervene during the attack in March last year.

Alan Gardner, prosecuting, said they were among six people in a basement flat in Cavendish Place, Eastbourne.

Mr Gardner said: "The flat is an open house where people go to drink and use drugs.

"It is probably fair to say that all six people there had been drinking or taking drugs to excess.

"A fight took place outside during the course of which Moir struck Mr Ripley with a hammer at least four times.

"David Ripley's cheek was split open after he was hit in the face with the hammer."

Police arrived on the scene by chance to see Moir struggling with Julie Ripley.

Moir, 42, of Fountains Close, Eastbourne, ran off but was caught during a short chase after he ran into a lamp post.

He claimed his ear had been bitten and his watch smashed during the early stages of the fight.

He claimed he had not had the hammer to begin with and that it was used by someone else at first.

At Hove Crown Court yesterday (mon) Moir admitted causing grievous bodily harm to David Ripley and actual bodily harm to Julie Ripley.

Julian Dale, defending, said Moir had also been hit with the hammer and had shown police two large lumps on his head.

His ear had also been bitten and his watch smashed during the fight.

Mr Dale said: "He got hold of the hammer and swung it around. One of those swings made contact with Mr Ripley's face.

"My client wants to apologise to Mr Ripley for the injury caused and says it was not intentional."