A MAN has been jailed for three and a half years for attacking the wrong man with a cricket bat.

Jai Moore, 24, of no fixed address, went looking for a Mr Goddard over a £480 unpaid debt, but instead took a cricket bat to Luke Bates at his house in Rayleigh.

Moore pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm after bashing Mr Bates with the bat for 10 minutes, leaving him with a broken wrist and a wound to his nose.

Basildon Crown Court heard Moore stormed the house in the early hours of Saturday, July 12, looking for a Mr Goddard who allegedly owed him £480.

When Moore couldn’t find him, he attacked Mr Bates with a cricket bat and headbutted him.

Prosecuting Mark Lakin said: “Moore has a history of disruptive leading to violent behaviour.”

Defending Moore, Michael Warren said his client had been a regular cocaine user for the last three years, which had altered his personality.

He told the court the dispute over money had gone on for number of months.

Sentencing Moore to three and a half years in prison, Judge Ian Graham said: “You went there with a cricket bat and you asked for Mr Goddard. You searched the house to see if he was there and said if Mr Goddard wasn’t there then Mr Bates would have to pay what you claimed you were owed.

When he would not do that you attacked. You headbutted him and throughout struck him with the cricket bat.

“Luke Bates suffered unpleasant and significant injuries, a broken left wrist and broken fingers and a wound to his nose.”

It was revealed Moore had appeared in court 17 times, being charged with 31 different offences including aggravated racial assault by beating, criminal damage and breaching an ASBO, however he had not appeared in the dock since 2009.

The court heard Moore, who has a 13-year-old stepson and five year- old son with his partner, was training to be a heating engineer at Prospects College at the time of the attack.

Judge Graham said: “Why you have thrown that away with this extreme outburst of violence is incomprehensible and it maybe something to do with your use of cocaine, but I do not know.”

Moore also pleaded guilty to drink driving on the night of the attack and it was decided not to proceed with a charge of possession of an offensive weapon.