A THUG clobbered a man with a radio and sliced open his face.

Leon Symonds was walking through North Street in Brighton when he bumped into Robert Pile.

Mr Pile had been enjoying a night out, but there was a fracas inside the Burger King restaurant involving Symonds’ pals and security guards.

Outside the restaurant, Symonds struck Mr Pile to the face in a random attack.

The 34-year-old was high on drugs at the time.

It broke Mr Pile’s jaw and sliced open his eyelid.

At Lewes Crown Court, Symonds admitted wounding that caused grievous bodily harm.

He was given a 16-month suspended prison sentence because he has turned his life around in rehabilitation to become drug free.

Timothy Naik, prosecuting, said the incident happened outside Burger King in July 2018.

Footage inside the restaurant showed a fight involving several people, with security guards desperately trying to separate them.

Symonds remained at the periphery, and footage showed him leaving the restaurant, then striking Mr Pile.

Mr Naik said: “Mr Pile saw a dynamic incident, involving a number of people, and an assault on a woman.

“Symonds was in the close vicinity and left. He appeared to strike Mr Pile with something in his hand, a radio of something of that sort, causing injuries.

“The most serious was a fractured jaw, and a deep laceration to the eyelid.

“It was late at night, and the defendant accepts the use of drugs was at the heart of why he was behaving the way he did.”

Natasha Dardashti, defending, said Symonds, of Ditchling Rise, Brighton, had managed to get himself drug free, but fell off the wagon and relapsed in July due to his fear of being sentenced in court.

But he has worked with the Pavilions service in a residential programme to stop taking drugs.

There are strict rules in place to monitor his progress.

Judge Christine Laing QC said Symonds had been pictured with the Mayor of Brighton with a certificate which he was proud of in his battle to get off drugs.

But she said a better image would be a before and after picture of the victim Mr Pile.

“It would be a reminder of what you can do to people when you are off your head on drugs,” the judge told him.

She said Mr Pile has been left with scars and the fractured jaw, and said the attack crossed the threshold for prison.

But she said: “The public would be best protected from you if you indeed overcome your addiction.

“You managed to do it for the best part of a year before you fell off the wagon. I note you have committed no other offences in that time.

“I sincerely hope you have finally turned the corner.

“If you commit any new offences, you will be back before me, and you will almost inevitably serve the 16 months.”

Symonds was ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid community service.

He was also ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the victim.