A teenager who was seen to kick a man’s head three times as he lay on the ground has been sentenced to five months youth detention.

As a result of the attack by 18-year-old Christopher Geeves, Andrew Green suffered extensive bruising to the side of his face and was unable to open his eye because it was so swollen, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Sentencing Geeves, Recorder Ian Evans said a police officer who saw Mr Green’s injuries after the attack had described them as “shocking”.

“It was a very unpleasant set of actions on your part which could have had significantly more serious implications for him and you,” said the judge.

Geeves, of Ballingdon Street, Sudbury admitted assaulting Mr Green causing him actual bodily harm in December last year and criminal damage at his home several weeks earlier in November.

He was sentenced to to five months detention in a young offenders’ institution and ordered to pay £370 compensation for the damage he caused and a victim surcharge of £80.

The court heard that as Geeves had been in custody for four months he would be eligible for immediate release as he had already served more than half his sentence.

Mr Evans made a restraining order banning Geeves from contacting Mr Green or going near his home in Sycamore Road, Great Cornard for two years.

Richard Potts, prosecuting, said there was a background of ill-feeling between Geeves and Mr Green relating to Geeves going out with Mr Green’s younger sister.

In November last year a glass bottle was thrown in Geeves’ direction causing minor injury to one of his friends and believing that Mr Green was responsible Geeves had gone round to his house.

After seeing Mr Green brandinshing a knife on the staircase Geeves had taken hold of a baseball bat offered to him by one of his friends and had used it to knock a hole in a bedroom door where Mr Green had barricaded himself in. Geeves had also used the bat to smash glass in the front door.

Several weeks later on December 14 Mr Green had been invovled in a confrontation with Geeves while visiting shops in Poplar Road, Great Cornard.

During the incident Mr Green went to the ground and was was kicked three times in the head by Geeves causing extensive bruising.

Steven Dyble for Geeves said his client had no previous convictions unlike Mr Green who had convictions for offences including battery.

He said Geeves had gone to Mr Green’s house to clear tthe air peacefully and had taken hold of a baseball bat after discovering Mr Green was brandishing a knife.

He said Geeves had got the upper hand in the fight with Mr Green on December 14 and accepted that in the heat of the moment he had crossed the line of what was acceptable to defend himself.