A YOUNG man who left a stranger deaf in one ear by repeatedly punching him while he was unconscious has avoided jail.

George Seal, of Ravencroft, Bicester, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent during a night out in Oxford city centre last year.

He got into a drunken argument with Matthew Willett in Chain Alley, Gloucester Green, on August 27 and punched him so hard he fell down unconscious, a judge was told.

He was then filmed on CCTV cameras punching his victim while he lay on the ground and only stopping when friends stopped him.

Mr Willett was left with a skull fracture and has been told he will never recover hearing in his right ear.

Seal said he couldn’t remember the attack, but pleaded guilty when presented with the evidence.

He was sentenced on Friday at Oxford Crown Court to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years.

Judge Thomas Corrie said it was an “unprovoked attack” and said: “If you had not been pulled off you may have continued to assault this defenceless young man.

“And the injuries could have been far worse, even fatal.”

He said Seal was previously of almost “impeccable character”, with no previous convictions.

He also made the 20-year-old subject to a supervision order for 12 months and ordered him to take a restorative justice course.