A 21-YEAR-OLD who lashed out and left a man with multiple fractures to his face was ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work for the community.

Dominic Nwajiobi attacked Stephen Williams, 39, in York Road, Southend.

Nwajiobi admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Williams by kicking him as he lay on the ground on July 11 last year.

Marvin Deacon, 28, who lives with Nwajiobi in York Road, stood trial last month accused of the same charge, but was acquitted as the jury agreed he acted in reasonable self-defence when he struck Mr Williams in the face.

Mr Deacon told the jury he hit Mr Williams because he feared for his and his co-defendant’s safety.

He said the victim was shouting abuse as he walked towards them, while Nwaj-iobi told the court Mr Williams had racially abused and threatened to stab him.

At Basildon Crown Court yesterday, Judge John Lodge sentenced Nwajiobi to eight months in prison, suspended for eight months, as well as ordering him to carry out community service.

Judge Lodge told him he was spared immediate custody because he had been “subjected to a great deal of provocation” by Mr Williams, and because he had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and had no convictions for violence.

He added: “This is a case where the CCTV sets out this incident as it truly was.

“You were not responsible for the first blow which knocked Mr Williams to the ground.

“After Mr Deacon had delivered a blow, which was sufficiently forceful to knock him to the ground, you kicked Mr Williams once.”