A MAN was left with a metal plate in his head after being “karate-kicked” when he asked his housemate to keep the noise down, a court heard.

Stefan Sava, 35, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years for wounding with intent after Basildon Crown Court heard he inflicted serious wounds on 47-year-old Veaceslav Valter on July 28 last year.

The incident took place at Sava’s home in Maldon Road, Southend, after Mr Valter came downstairs to cook dinner.

Fraser Coxhill, prosecuting, said Sava was drinking in the kitchen with a man named Marcel. Mr Valter asked the pair to keep the noise down. He returned to his room but the noise continued so he came back to the kitchen and again asked them to keep it down.

This time, the pair followed Mr Valter to his room and carried out a brutal assault. Sava approached Mr Valter from behind and struck his head with a metal object, believed to be a set of keys, and Mr Valter collapsed.

Mr Sava, who is from Bulgaria, punched his head repeatedly while Marcel came into the room and “karate-kicked” him. Sava continued the assault and Mr Valter lost consciousness. Marcel is since believed to have fled the country.

Mr Valter was airlifted to hospital for emergency treatment after the assault.

Mr Coxhill said: “He suffered a depressed skull fracture, broken tissue around the eyes, deformed cheek bones, superficial cuts on the left hairline, and lacerations on the left shoulder.”

The court heard Mr Valter is still traumatised and he continues to suffer from headaches. In a victim impact statement, he said: “I cannot sleep well ever since the incident happened. I cannot eat because of the pain in my jaw and I suffer from depression.”

He added: “I get scared and I haven’t said anything to my children. I am too scared to walk down the street and I have to move.”

Sava denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent but was found guilty after a trial. He has no previous convictions.

Gavin Burrell, mitigating, said: “The defendant is a married man with children. He has a good character. He has not caused trouble in this country. He is not to be taken as a dangerous person.”

Judge David Owen-Jones told him: “You are a man of good character. You are entitled to substantial credit for that.” He jailed Sava for seven-and-a-half years.