A “COWARDLY” thug brutally assaulted a receptionist after he demanded a room for the night in a hotel that was already full.

Joshua Leatherland, 23, who has a history of violence, punched Thundiyil Abraham to the ground before stamping on him at the Ibis in Newport.

The defendant had been drinking when he turned up at the hotel on Malpas Road with Tia Wills this summer, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Leatherland wouldn’t take no for an answer after Mr Abraham told him they were fully booked and offered him a £100 bribe to give him a room.

MORE NEWS: Thug spat in girlfriend’s face and repeatedly slapped her

He then got into the reception area and started yelling at the hotel employee.

Ffion Tomos, prosecuting, said: “The defendant was calling him a liar and shouting at him before he physically assaulted him.

“He punched him to the face and Mr Abraham fell to the floor.

“Whilst on the floor the defendant stamped on his head on more than one occasion while he lay helpless on the floor.

“His female companion said to him, ‘Don’t stamp on his head!’”

Leatherland then assaulted her by pushing her over.

The shocking attack was captured on CCTV and Ms Tomos played the footage to the court.

Mr Abraham was taken to hospital where he suffered a number of injuries including a hairline fracture to a rib.

It had ruined a holiday the victim had booked to India and he spent hundreds of pounds on his own medical treatment there.

“The police were called and the defendant was arrested on Malpas Road,” Ms Tomos added.

“Officers described him as being aggressive and abusive.”

Leatherland was taunting them about how “proud” he was for being jailed last year for assaulting a policewoman.

“He told them how amazing it was to have punched and kicked her,” the prosecutor said.

“There was blood on his shoes (from the assault on Mr Abraham) and he tried to lick it off.”

Leatherland, of Coniston Close, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) against Mr Abraham and assaulting by beating against Miss Wills.

The offence took place on July 16.

He had seven previous convictions for 20 offences which included ABH, assaulting an emergency worker, battery and affray.

Stuart John, representing the defendant, asked for the court to take into account his client’s guilty pleas.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke told Leatherland: “This was frankly a cowardly attack entirely in character for you.

“Mr Abraham was minding his own business, he was in work trying to support his family.

“Simply being told no seemed to cause you to launch an entirely unprovoked attack.”

Leatherland was jailed for two years and eight months.

He was made the subject of a 10-year restraining order not to contact Mr Abraham and banned from visiting the Ibis hotel on Maplas Road for the same period.