A WIRRAL man who repeatedly stamped on a former friend’s head leaving him hospitalised for almost a week was jailed for 21 months today.

Scott Lamb, 43, got into a fight with David Favagher after seeing him in Tallulah’s bar in New Brighton in August last year.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Mr Favagher had a reputation "as a nuisance" and had been barred from the premises previously.

Lamb’s partner got into a discussion with him and they left, followed by Lamb.

Shortly afterwards, witnesses saw the two men “grappling” with each other and Lamb then pushing him over a wall.

Sarah Holt, prosecuting, said Mr Favagher ended up on the floor and Lamb kneed him three times in the face, punched him and then stamped on his head up to eight times.

Mr Favagher suffered a head injury which raised the pressure on his brain, a fractured eye socket and a deep cut and was kept in hospital for five days.

Lamb, of Wellington Road, New Brighton, denied wounding, saying he acted in self defence, but was convicted at a trial last month.

John Weate, defending, said  Lamb was “an intelligent man with many fine qualities who is well thought of by employers and friends”.

He said the father-of-two was a man of good character who had people relying on him.

Jailing him Judge Mark Brown described it as "a brutal and sustained assault on Mr Favagher”

He added, "It is indeed a tragedy to see an individual such as you in this crown court dock today facing sentence on such a serious charge. It is clear you are a man of positive qualities.

He imposed a five-year restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim.