by Mary Louis

Bar manager Neil De Klerk's drunken onslaught against two bystanders led to him losing his job and ending up in prison.

De Klerk, of Canterbury Road, Folkestone, was jailed for 18 months after admitting assault causing actual bodily harm and affray.

This followed an attack by the 23-year-old - aided by a friend - at Takis Kebab and Burger Bar in Tontine Street, Folkestone.

De Klerk's victim Adam Brown had been left with bruising and a cut under his left eye and on his head, a large bruise on his leg, constant migraine, blurry vision and an aching body.

A doctor had been concerned about swelling behind his left eye and thought his nose might be broken, advising him to attend hospital for an x-ray.

Peter Alcock, prosecuting, told Canterbury Crown Court that Mr Brown and a friend had been in Takis and become aware of a "large male", De Klerk.

Mr Brown noticed De Klerk had previously been outside "having words" with an unknown man.

The incident was captured on CCTV just after 2.30am on October 18, 2012.

The court saw footage showing how De Klerk had entered the kebab shop and punched Mr Brown's friend.

The prosecutor told how Mr Brown had watched out of the corner of his eye, then De Klerk had said "mind your own business, look away now".

De Klerk then approached him and punched him repeatedly in the face, "laying into" him.

Mr Brown had been backed into a corner and other men came in and joined in the attack, in which he was repeatedly punched and kicked, both standing and on the ground, the court heard.

"The size and weight of the men made him fall to the floor," said the prosecutor. "Mr Brown had tried to put his arm around his head to stop him."

There did not seem to be any background between De Klerk, Mr Brown and his friend. They had simply been "in the wrong place at the wrong time".

De Klerk had been on bail at the time for four other cases of common assault. He had a number of previous convictions for violent assaults, several at nightclubs.

Simon Taylor, defending, said De Klerk - who has a one-year-old daughter and another due on May 25 - had a "lamentable history of violence".

His job as bar manager at the Black Bull Hotel had ended because he had been remanded in custody.

"He sees fatherhood as a reason to grow up," said Mr Taylor. De Klerk's attitude sober was positive, he said. He had already been on an alcohol rehabilitation course in prison and had plans to retrain as a chef.