A SOUTHAMPTON man left a man with serious injuries to his face after punching him in the street.

Luke Wells knocked the man to the ground after an argument started outside of homes in Eastleigh.

A court heard how Wells had been outside a house with a woman and another man when the row began.

Prosecuting, Ed Wylde said the woman’s partner came across the street speaking quite loudly before throwing his drink over her and Wells.

The 26-year-old of Tennyson Road, Southampton then punched the man twice leading him to fall to the floor.

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The man was taken to hospital for his injuries which included a haemorrhage, a sinus fracture, bruising and swelling.

In a statement read out in court, he said he was “quite shocked about what happened as it had come out of the blue”.

He added: “I suffered a lot of blood. I still cannot eat properly because my jaw is really quite numb and I’m still coughing up blood.

“I was horrified by the amount of blood around my face.

“It was a horrific time that will remain with me for always. I’ve almost become a prisoner in my home.”

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Wells pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday.

He currently has four convictions for seven offences including an assault occasioning actual bodily harm for which he received a suspended sentence.

Mr Wylde said: “These are serious face injuries with a substantial impact on the victim”.

He added however that no weapon was used and that this was a “spontaneous, short-lived assault”.

Judge, Christopher Parker said that “in other circumstances, a suspended sentence order might be appropriate”.

However, because Wells is currently in receipt of extra payment from DWP, unpaid work could not be imposed currently.

The sentencing was adjourned until May 9 for Wells to get a note from him GP to say that he can complete unpaid work.