A TEENAGER has been jailed after he dragged a man from his car in a 'cowardly' attack and kicked his 'head like a football.'

Lloyd May, aged 18, of Channel View, Risca, appeared at Newport Crown Court on Thursday charged with actual bodily harm.

He was 17 years old when the sustained attack took place on June 18 of last year on Fields Road in Pontymister. The court heard that May assaulted Callum Green which included punches and a kick to his head.

Nuhu Gobir, prosecuting, told the court that May, replied no comment in his police interview following his arrest. He told the court that the defendant had no previous convictions but had two cautions for common assault.

Meirion Davies, defending said, May had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

He said: "In the pre-sentence report he accepts he lost his temper, this was not said to offer an excuse.

"As you have seen in the report, he accepts what he did was intolerable and he is actually a very pleasant young man to deal with."

Recorder CR Fox said sentenced May to 12 months imprisonment in a young offenders institute.

He said: "This was an unprovoked, violent and cowardly attack. You pulled this man out of his car set about him with your fists.

"Having done that you came back and as one of the witnesses said you kicked his head like a football with force.

"You could have killed him, in fact you made him unconscious for a while."

He added: "You left him with serious physical and psychological affects."

He told the court that the victim had been off work for two months which led to him getting into debt.

Judge Fox said: "He was scared to death. That attack still lies with him."

May will serve half of his 12 month sentence and on release will be subject to a rehabilitation activity order for 12 months.

He was also made subject to a restraining order and will have to pay a victim surcharge of £100.