A FORMER amateur boxer who broke into a house and savagely attacked a man while he slept on a sofa was today locked up for 11 years.

Stuart Leyshon left the victim with multiple fractures to his face and his upper jaw so badly displaced that his teeth were down his throat.

Leyshon, 35, was later seen by witnesses "bouncing" around the back yard of the property, boasting: "I didn't even hit him that hard."

The victim said in a statement that he is still in so much pain more than a year on that he wishes he had been killed by the cowardly thug.

Judge Deborah Sherwin told Leyshon: "The legacy of your boxing is that you are a strong and powerful man . . . the injuries were devastating."

Teesside Crown Court heard that Leyshon went to the house in Eston, Middlesbrough, looking for the man who had argued with his brother.

He found the victim sitting up asleep in the front room and punched him - probably four times - in the face, said prosecutor Adrian Dent.

A witness who saw the aftermath of the attack threw up, as the 32-year-old was "gurgling" his own blood as he struggled to breathe.

He was facing upwards with his eyes closed, making a snoring and wheezing sound, coughing up blood, and in "an extremely poor way".

The court heard how he needed five hours of emergency surgery to insert six titanium plates and wire in his badly crushed face.

Mr Dent said he effectively has no left cheekbone, which has affected his eyesight and makes it look like his left eye is drooping.

The victim can no longer read, has memory problems and has a nasal obstruction which will need further surgery, Judge Sherwin heard.

He has to wear a patch to watch television, suffers excruciating pain when it is cold, and forgets what he is talking about during conversations.

In an impact statement, he said his face is so fragile now, his doctors have told him if he is struck again in that area he could die.

"This incident has affected every part of my life possible," he said. "My life is not my own any more. Everything I do is a struggle.

"I'm nervous every time I leave my house. I'm nervous around loud noises. My hearing is very sensitive and it hurts if things are too loud.

"The incident has deeply affected me and upset me. I have life-changing injuries. There is wire mesh under my left eye and it needs padding to make it appear as usual.

"I don't believe I deserve the pain and suffering I am now going through, and I wish for those who did this to be held accountable.

"My life does not feel like it is my own. I do not go out in the dark any more. I have been unable to work and it has affected me financially.

"I feel I should have been left to die. If I had been, I would not have been left in the constant pain I am in.

Leyshon, of Appletree Gardens, Ormesby, Middlesbrough, was on trial for causing grievous bodily harm with intent, but entered a guilty plea after hearing Mr Dent open his case on Monday.

His lawyer, Robert Mochrie, said Leyshon had reacted "inexcusably" to the bust-up between his brother, Graham, and the victim, and wanted to apologise.

"By pleading guilty, he accepts that what he did that morning was totally unacceptable, and he accepts that he is entirely responsible for the life-changing injuries the victim has to deal with on a day-to-day basis."

Detective Sergeant Helen Wilson said afterwards: “Firstly I would like to pay tribute to the victim and his family who have shown great dignity and bravery throughout this traumatic episode.

“I welcome the sentence issued today. This reflects the severity of this attack on a sleeping man, one which led to horrific facial injuries.

"Leyshon will have a good deal of time whilst in prison to reflect on what he has done and I hope the victim and his family can now begin to rebuild their lives.”