An Eastbourne man has been jailed after stamping on another man's head so hard he left a trainer imprint.

Jonathan Inch, 21, of Jevington Gardens, attacked Martin Strevens outside Shimmers nightclub following an afternoon's drinking.

Lewes Crown Court heard he punched Mr Strevens to the ground, knocking him unconscious, then knelt alongside him and repeatedly punched him in the face.

Inch then stood up, took several steps back and kicked the victim in the head before stamping on his head and running off when the police arrived.

The court heard Inch was later arrested and admitted the attack but claimed he could not remember much of what happened during the incident in June last year.

Mr Strevens suffered two chipped teeth and bruising. He needed four stitches to a head wound.

Inch admitted attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm, inflicting actual bodily harm and failing to surrender to bail.

Philip Meredith, prosecuting, told the court the attack happened after the victim emerged from an Eastbourne nightclub.

He said the defendant approached and spoke to Mr Strevens before violence broke out.

He said: "The complainant told him to go away and possibly pushed him in the chest.

"The response to this was Mr Inch lost his temper and punched him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground.

"The combination of falling and the punch put the complainant in an unconscious state. The defendant then attacked the complainant.

"He knelt down by him and punched him in the face a few times.

"He then kicked him in the head area. He was seen by a witness to take a few steps backwards before running up and kicking him in the head area.

"During this time the complainant was not seen to make any movement and was seen to lie on the pavement with blood visible on his head and face.

"The defendant was then seen to stamp on the complainant's head just as a police vehicle was pulling up. The defendant ran off but was caught.

"In interview, Mr Inch admitted that he had hit the complainant but couldn't remember exactly what had taken place.

"He said he had drunk eight pints during the afternoon and was quite drunk but accepted that didn't excuse his actions.

"The complainant was seen by a doctor who found facial injuries, two chipped teeth and that four stitches were needed to a cut on his head.

"There are a set of photographs which show an imprint of a trainer on the left ear of the complainant."

The court heard Inch had previous convictions for wounding and causing actual bodily harm.

Julian Dale, defending, said: "My client acted in a way wholly out of character for a man who now presents as thoughtful and remorseful.

"He in fact has limited recollection of this event and he accepts what he did was wrong. He was exceptionally drunk on that evening.

"He had been drinking at a public house in Pevensey Bay and had got a taxi back to Eastbourne.

"He got out and started a conversation with the victim and accepts that the fight was probably his own fault.

"Mr Inch completely lost his temper. He is somebody who feels deep regret for what he did."

Sentencing Inch, Recorder Julian Malins said: "You assaulted Mr Martin Strevens in a vicious and brutal way, not just once but repeatedly.

"You are a man capable of extreme violence and accordingly the public needs protection until you are able to behave."

He sentenced Inch to a total of three years in prison and ordered him to pay his victim £1,000 compensation.