THE FAMILY of a Southampton student have been forced to re-mortgage their home to fund rehab treatment for their son who suffered serious brain injuries after being punched in the face.

Daniel Wallace, 20, spent more than a month in intensive care and is now receiving regular rehabilitation treatment to piece his life back together, a court heard.

Southampton Crown Court was told the student had just started the second year of a construction management degree when he was punched by father-of-three Adam Griffith, 24, while on a night out with friends.

CCTV footage leading up to the attack showed Griffith, of Westwood Road, Southampton, inviting Mr Wallace into an alleyway outside a night club in London Road to talk over a previous argument.

Griffith then punched Mr Wallace in the face, and in falling down the student's head struck the wall.

The court heard how Mr Wallace, who is the son of a police officer, had to be put in an induced coma for three weeks and underwent operations on his skull to relieve pressure on his brain. He also suffered a broken jaw in the attack.

The court also heard how the student has been left with no sense of taste or smell and a loss of hearing in his right ear.

He is also hoping to pick up his studies in September this year but he is likely to have to restart the three-year university course because he cannot remember his first year of study.

Judge Tom Longbotham said, "He had very serious injuries and was a case of great concern to doctors for three to four weeks."

Griffith pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm blaming the incident on a spur of the moment loss of temper. He was sentenced to two-years in prison.