A young man who repeatedly punched then kicked a defenceless man leaving him with a fractured nose and eye sockets will find out in the New Year if he will be jailed for the serious attack.

Gareth Clarkson, aged 21, from Bron Gungrog, Welshpool, was given five months to "grow up and get a job" to prove to the court that he can turn his life around or go straight to prison.

Clarkson pleaded guilty to subjecting Mark Elliott to a number of blows to the head in an attack that lasted "only a matter of moments" and was caught on CCTV in Shrewsbury on December 12, 2021.

Recorder Jason MacAdam said there would have to be "exceptional" reasons for him to issue a suspended sentence for GBH.

County Times:

During a sentencing hearing held at Telford Justice Centre on Friday, August 25, Recorder MacAdam said: "The court has to consider the public interest and he has a history of violence/public order incidents, and that sort of behaviour will come to an end; either he stops it or if that doesn’t happen he goes to prison.

"The only way I can consider a suspended sentence is for, putting it bluntly, you, Mr Clarkson to grow up.

"I’m going to defer this matter during which you will grow up otherwise you will go to an adult prison and there will be no allowances made by others. You will be treated like a man there in every sentence of the word.

"You have got to pull your finger out. You will get a job; I don’t care what job it is and you will save up money. You will save money towards the [£1,200 court] costs. You will save up money towards compensation.

"You will stay out of trouble, that is a given, of course. Any sniff of trouble, if you’re under investigation pending charge, if you’ve been arrested, I want to know about it. Even if it doesn’t lead to a charge. It will tell me everything I will need to know.

"As far as drinking and drug use, it stops. You come here squeaky clean.

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"You’ve been mummied for years because of the sad events that happened when you were 11. Which is entirely understandable from your mother's view.

"I want to see evidence from an employer to see how much you’ve taken home. You pay your mother properly and you behave as an adult.

“You don’t have the next six months to buy clothes, new iPhones or to go out. Your priority is to this court. Why should we pay? Why should this man you’ve attacked not have compensation?

"Show how regretful you are about what you’ve done.

"I'm giving you the opportunity to put this nonsense behind. If you don’t take this opportunity, you go down the stairs, so bring a bag."

Clarkson was ordered to return to court for sentencing on Friday, January 26.