A FORMER British Army soldier “finding civilian life difficult” was jailed for four years after a savage attack left his victim with bleeding on the brain

Andrew Reed cracked Gavin Jones’ skull in his own home with a “weapon of some kind” after he thought he had stolen his wallet.

Newport Crown Court heard that the victim has since made a “good recovery”.

The 39-year-old Reed, of Stanfield Street, Ebbw Vale, was convicted of causing Mr Jones grievous bodily harm by a jury after a trial.

He was acquitted of the more serious charge of causing him grievous bodily harm with intent as well as of possessing an offensive weapon.

The offence happened in Ebbw Vale’s Excelsior Street in January.

A co-defendant, Michael Stanley-Willstead, 29, also of Stanfield Street, Ebbw Vale, was cleared of all charges in the trial.

He was found not guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent and grievous bodily harm against Mr Jones.

Prosecutor Lowri Wynn Morgan told the court that Reed has 19 previous convictions for 36 offences.

These included three other grievous bodily harm charges, one of which ended in an 18-month prison term.

Reed’s barrister Eugene Egan, who appeared in court via a video link, said his client had spent three years in the British Army before being discharged on medical grounds.

He added that the defendant was “finding civilian life difficult” as well as battling a drug problem.

The judge, Recorder Nicholas Gareth Jones, told Reed: “You thought he had taken your wallet.

“You hit him with some kind of weapon which cracked his skull and left him with bleeding on the brain.”

He said that the offence was so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified.

The judge jailed him for four years and told Reed he would serve half that sentence before being released on licence.

Reed must pay a victim surcharge and is the subject of a five-year restraining order that forbids him to contact Mr Jones, which also includes any communication on social media.