JUST two weeks after receiving a suspended jail sentence for racially attacking a nurse while drunk at St Mary's Hospital, Jay Rhys Pearson got drunk and involved himself in a violent group attack on a young man.

Magistrates decided to activate Pearson's original custodial sentence when he appeared before them today (March 19), and sentenced him to an immediate five months in prison.

Pearson, 19, of High Street, Newport, admitted assaulting the male victim by beating.

Ann Smout, prosecuting, said Pearson was part of a group who targeted the man in Newport, around the Old Westminster Lane and Dairy Crest Drive area, at 11pm on November 3, 2018.

The group started shouting 'paedophile' and this led to the victim being punched in the eye, face and ear. He stumbled around before managing to run off, suffering bruising to his eye.

Pearson knew the victim as he was a family friend, and later apologised.

The court heard that Pearson had admitted previous offences of violence in court on October 23, 2018, including racially aggravated assault and actual bodily harm against a Pakistani nurse at St Mary's Hospital. For those offences, he had received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Barry Arnett, for Pearson, said the offences at St Mary's Hospital had been pretty disgraceful.

The latest assault was a group attack borne from Chinese whispers, but Pearson had been 'man enough' to apologise afterwards.

Mr Arnett said: "He is absolutely mortified to be in court again. Drink played a major part and now he is no longer drinking at all."

A co-accused, Dylan Tuckey, 19, of Hinton Road, Newport, also pleaded guilty to the same charge. He was ordered to pay a £330 fine, £85 costs, £33 surcharge and £50 compensation to the victim.

A third assailant was never identified.

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