A Buckley man who launched an “unprovoked attack” on a fellow New Year’s Eve reveller which left him with "life-changing" injuries has been jailed for 20 months.

Wayne Jones laid Clinton Riley out on the floor of the bar at St. David’s Park Hotel in Ewloe and then carried on punching him in anger.

The pair had exchanged words earlier when Jones asked his victim to vacate a seat, but there appeared no motive for the attack.

Mr Riley, who like Jones is an aeronautical engineer, suffered multiple fractures of facial bones, including the eye socket, a loose tooth and a deformed finger. He has needed surgery since and has suffered from double vision.

Although Mold Crown Court heard that Jones was the sole carer for his two sons, aged 10 and 15, after the death of his wife, Judge David Hale said he had no option but to impose a custodial sentence.

He told Jones: “You took offence after an argument about a seat. There is no suggestion that Mr Riley did anything to cause you to lose his temper with him.

“You started having a go at him and you carried on punching him when he was on the ground and when people were trying to pull you off.”

Prosecutor Richard Edwards said that around midnight Mr Riley had gone to the bar to get drinks and was approached by Jones who punched him to the face.

An eye witness, Simon Williams, said there had been no animosity between the pair and when the punch was thrown at Mr Riley he heard a “crack” which left him on the floor.

In a victim personal statement read to the court Mr Riley said he had not fully regained the dexterity in his right hand and suffered with a lazy eye as a result of the attack and was struggling to come to terms with the changes in his physical appearance.

Airbus employee Jones told police it had been a “pre-emptive strike” as Mr Riley was aggressive towards him, but he admitted the “red mist” had come down.

Jones, 44, of Rhuddlan Road, Buckley admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on December 31 last year.

Defence barrister Sarah Yates said: “He is remorseful and knows he was completely wrong and the devastation he has caused.

“He is the primary carer for his two young children and they lost their mother two years ago.”

Jones was also ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge on his release from prison.