A man was repeatedly punched in the head while on the floor before being delivered a final blow with a kick during an incident in Darwen.

Preston Crown Court heard how Lee Oddy, who was intoxicated at the time, had been shouting at Neil Clarke and his partner after he had tried to gain access to Clarke’s van.

Naomi Duckworth, prosecuting, said Mr Oddy had left a barbecue at around with his friends at around 4.30pm on July 17, 2021, because of an argument, and was walking past the van.

After a few minutes of verbal arguments between Mr Oddy and Clarke’s wife, Clarke approached him as he was walking away and landed the first punch.

With Mr Oddy on the floor, Clarke proceeded to punch him to the head nine times, with no retaliation from the victim.

Clarke then slammed Mr Oddy’s head into the pavement.

As he was on his hands and knees, Clarke then ran back before launching forward and kicking Mr Oddy in the side of the head, which led to him collapsing.

A CT scan and facial x-rays showed Mr Oddy suffered a right orbital fracture and multiple broken bones around his eye, as well as swelling and cuts.

He had surgery eight days after the incident to mend the broken bone around his left eye.

Clarke was interviewed in February 2022 and told police his van had been smashed up and said Mr Oddy had threatened to kill his partner, which led to him ‘losing it.’

Clarke, who has four previous convictions for eight offences, admitted one count of causing grievous bodily harm.

Judge Guy Mathieson, sentencing, said: “This should’ve been resolved three years ago.

"In those circumstances, for the prosecution to now say this is so serious that you should go to prison, sits ill.

“That’s not to condone what you did but I have to bear in mind since you went to interview you have been awaiting this day and you have not committed any further offences.

“However, it wouldn’t have taken much more to be facing manslaughter.”

Judge Mathieson sentenced Clarke, of Olive Lane, Darwen, to a 12-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work, and ordered him to pay £1,000 in compensation.