A DRUNKEN thug who punched and kicked a man to the ground leaving him with a broken nose has been locked up for his ‘shameful’ behaviour.

Dale Butters got into a dispute with his victim outside a Tesco Express store before launching his brutal but short-lived attack on the man.

The 32-year-old knocked the man to the ground before kicking him when the trouble flared at around 7.30pm outside the Middlesbrough shop.

Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, said CCTV footage from outside the store showed Butters and his victim in some kind of dispute before the defendant starts throwing punches.

She added: “The victim’s arm is out and appears to be throwing something in the direction of the defendant who then runs directly at the man who loses his footing.

“Whilst he is on the floor the defendant punched him a couple of times and then is seen to kick him when he is on the floor.”

Read more: Driver remanded in custody over death of mum-of-three

Butters left the scene but returned shortly after to attempt to retrieve a bike before running away again.

The victim told police that he suffered a broken nose as a result of the violent attack.

Butters, of Netherfields Crescent, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm following the violence of December 14, 2020.

Nigel Soppitt, in mitigation, said his client is starting to work on his drink problem following his ‘shameful behaviour’ when he attacked the man.

“He has pleaded guilty immediately to a piece of shameful behaviour and appears to accept that and he feels a great deal of remorse for the way that he behaved that night,” he said.

“It seems that the complainant swings something at this defendant and it seems there was an initial altercation between these two men and not just a case of him charging in.”

Recorder Aisha Wadoodi jailed Butters for eight months for the violent attack after contemplating issuing a suspended sentence after he stayed out of trouble for 18-months.

She said: “The problem is that the offence is very serious and even if there was some limited provocation and having looked at the CCTV, it is my view that it was very limited provocation.

“Having read the pre-sentence report there has not been enough progress for this sentence to be suspended.”

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated Teesside Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054