A SOUTHAMPTON man broke a cyclist’s hip after punching him and sending him crashing to the ground.

Bobby James punched a 63-year-old man riding towards him outside a convenience store in St Mary’s Road, Southampton, a court heard.

He then pushed him causing him to land in the street.

His victim later underwent an operation as a result of breaking his hip.

Southampton Crown Court heard how the man had to use a Zimmer frame to get around following the attack on November 19 last year.

James, 37, of James Weald Close, had previously confronted his victim in Southampton city centre for “laughing at a female preacher”.

On another occasion, the defendant is said to have called the same man names during an exchange in the street.

Appearing before Southampton Crown Court, he was charged with a single count of GBH to which he previously pleaded guilty

Defending, Richard Martin, said that his client suffers from emotionally unstable personality disorder and general anxiety.

Adding to this, he said that James bitterly regrets his actions.

Mr Martin described him as having a “short tempter” and doing things “without thinking”.

Furthermore, he stressed that his client was a vulnerable individual and had endured an appalling childhood.

Mr Martin said that James self-medicates with cannabis, is “wholly dysfunctional” and has not worked for a long time.

He urged the judge to suspend any sentence and argued that the defendant needed help.

Judge Peter Henry jailed him for 12 months, but the sentence was suspended for two years.

James has been made the subject of a three month electronically monitored curfew from 2pm until 6am each day.

Judge Henry described it as “a punishment not simply to keep you at home watching television in the evening”.

He must pay his victim £250 in compensation and complete 30 rehabilitation days.