A BLAENAU Gwent man has been jailed for a 'cowardly attack' in which he attacked a man with a broken hand, kicked him unconscious.

Brendan Edwards, aged 25, of Waunheulog, Nantyglo was sentenced at Newport Crown Court yesterday for charges of assault by beating and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Christopher Rees, prosecuting, told the court, the defendant was at a party in a house in Brynmawr on August 28, of this year, with the victims - his on-off girlfriend Trudie Bedford and her brother Craig Bedford.

Mr Rees said the party where everyone had been drinking had finished around 11.30pm when Ms Bedford, who has a child with the defendant, went to bed.

The court heard, the defendant went for a walk but later came back shouting and banging on the front door asking Mr Bedford to fight him.

Mr Rees said Mr Bedford called the police and the defendant ran off. Later that evening, the court heard, the defendant entered the house from around the back and punched Mr Bedford in the face. He punched him to the ground and stamped on his right hand which was in a cast.

Mr Rees said the defendant stamped on Mr Bedford "with force" and then kicked Mr Bedford in the face until his sister intervened. The defendant then kicked her as well.

A cousin to the siblings managed to throw Edwards off them but Mr Bedford was kicked to the face again.

Mr Rees said: "This was a frenzied attack with the use of his foot as a weapon. To such ferocity Mr Bedford was rendered unconscious."

When the defendant was arrested he told officers he had "sparked" Mr Bedford.

Ms Bedford, in her victim impact statement, said family members have been staying with her until this case was resolved.

She said she no longer answers her own door as she is 'worried' it will be the defendant.

Edwards has been in custody since the start of this month as he breached his bail conditions. He has been in court on eight previous occasions for 16 offences.

He was previously fined £200 for common assault.

Gareth Morley, defending, said Edwards pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and since being in custody has enrolled on courses to help with his alcohol problem and anger management.

Recorder David Aubrey QC sentenced Edwards to three month for assault by beating to run concurrent with 15 months for ABH. Judge Aubrey said: "As the prosecution rightly say in my judgement, this was a cowardly attack on the victim.

"What you did was invite a man who had his hand in a cast out for a fight."

He said aggravating features included that the attack was at the victim’s home.