A DRUNKEN man from Swindon brutally who rendered a Cirencester woman unconscious by brutally kicking her in the head, has been jailed for six years.

Clive Marsh, 21, of Stockpole Crescent in Swindon, attacked his friend Alex Nolan following a night of heavy drinking at Cirencester’s Seventeen Black on February, 16 2013.

Miss Nolan suffered multiple injuries including a fracture of the eye socket and two fractures of the nose, with one witness telling the court that she feared she was dead.

During the hearing on Friday, December 20, Marsh told the judge that he had no recollection of the attack and was so distressed by the images of Miss Nolan’s injuries that it made him vomit.

Julian Kesner, prosecuting, told the court that Marsh had arranged to meet Miss Nolan at 10pm after she had finished work.

But, when she arrived at the club, he was already heavily drunk and had been escorted out after starting a fight.

The pair, who were met by mutual friend Bethany Ashton, then walked out into Swan Yard where Marsh began to beat Miss Nolan to the ground.

Mr Kesner said: “She has no other recollection of the assault but Miss Ashton saw the defendant punching her in the head as she lay on the ground. Miss Ashton tried to grab hold of his fists but he simply moved to the other side and continued punching with some force and aggression.”

It was heard that Marsh finished off his beating by kicking her in the side of the head.

She was admitted to hospital with a cut to the back of the head, broken nose, left orbital rim fracture, suspected fractured jaw and two chipped teeth.

Since the attack, she is said to have had chronic nightmares and has lost her relationship with her boyfriend due to a dramatic personality change.

Judge William Hart told Marsh: “Why you did it is impossible to discern, save for the fact that you were undoubtedly very heavily intoxicated with alcohol. I would not be surprised if that was not added to by other illicit substances.

“You punched her to the ground and you continued to rain powerful blows to her head and face in a sustained and almost frenzied attack.”

Judge Hart described the images of Miss Nolan’s injuries as “truly distressing”.

He said: “They are distressing in themselves but also because they are all the more graphic on the fact of a young pretty girl who had done nothing to deserve it.”