A TEENAGER had a brick smashed into his mouth when he was attacked in the centre of Caerleon, a court heard.

Moments later his attacker, 25-year-old Kevin Morgan, left the scene saying: "Hell, why did I do that? I'm going back to prison, man."

His victim suffered broken teeth and damaged lips and was unable to speak properly for three weeks and was off school a month, Cardiff crown court heard.

Morgan, of Albany Street, Shaftesbury, Newport, admitted a charge of wounding and was jailed for 18 months.

Judge Philip Richards told Morgan, who was said to have convictions for 65 offences: "This was an unpleasant weapon and it caused unpleasant injuries.

"You really must understand that if you behave like this you are going to go back and back to prison.

"If you come back before the court again, if you commit another serious offence, the courts will sentence you to prison indefinitely."

Prosecutor Peter Harding-Roberts said that at 9.30pm on February 3 last year, the 16-year-old victim was in the centre of Caerleon and a dispute broke out. He was about to leave the area when Morgan approached him carrying a brick.

"Seconds later he hit him in the face with it. He stumbled backwards and fell to the ground, aware that a large piece of tooth had come away," Mr Harding-Roberts said.

Mr Harding-Roberts said the injured man now feels very nervous and is fearful of meeting Morgan again.

Among Morgan's previous convictions, the court heard, were wounding, attempted robbery for which he received two and a half years, criminal damage, and threatening behaviour.