A BLACK Country thug who savagely kicked a young man in the face badly breaking his jaw has been jailed for two-and-a-half-years.

Jack Griffin, aged 20, who left Lewis John needing major surgery to attach three plates to his shattered jaw, also joined

Jardel Faure, from Cradley Heath in a brutal attack on a teenager with learning difficulties.

The two men punched the "terrified" 18-year-old as he waited on Cradley Heath railway station before Faure chased him towards his home where he punched, kicked and stamped on his victim after telling him he would be murdered.

Judge Michael Challinor told 20-year-old Faure he would be put behind bars for two years for what he described as a "wicked" gang attack on the vulnerable teenager.

He told Griffin, who was later caught in possession of an imitation firearm and a lock knife by police officers, he had carried out a "catalogue" of serious offending in the area.

Griffin was sentenced for inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr John, two charges of affray, common assault in an incident involving his neighbours and breaching a two month term of detention imposed for theft.

Faure, of The Terrace, was locked up by the judge for wounding the 18-year-old and one charge of affray.

Timothy Sapwell, prosecuting, said two groups of young men began fighting in Stourbridge High Street and Mr John was knocked to the ground.

He told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Griffin of Sheriff Drive, Brierley Hill, then kicked him in the head knocking him unconscious.

Mr John had to spend some time in hospital to have surgery on his jaw, he had to pay out £395 to repair damaged teeth, he was off work for three weeks and had to live on a liquid diet for up to six weeks.

In a victim impact statement he later told police he had been in considerable pain, he had trouble sleeping and he suffered a loss of feeling in his lip.

Mr Sapwell said the 18-year-old, who had a mental age of 12, had been at the railway station when he was recognised by the two defendants.

He was punched to the face before being chased by Faure who struck him again with his fist resulting in his head hitting a brick wall. The teenager's family tried to intervene before Faure left the scene.

Griffin had a history of anti-social behaviour towards his neighbours and he was involved in a violent dispute with members of the family after they heard something strike one of the windows in their home.

Then later, Mr Sapwell told Wolverhampton Crown Court, patrolling police officers stopped Griffin's car in Oldbury

and they found the imitation firearm - an air gun that fired BB pellets. "It looked like a real gun," he went on as he described how the officers also found the lock-knife.

Barristers for the two defendants said they were both now determined to put their lives in order and stay on the straight and narrow.