A thug who repeatedly stabbed his victim with a broken bottle in a brawl has been jailed.

Kieran O’Sullivan, 27, plunged the shank into Shannon Hodson’s stomach after he was knocked over at The George Hotel, Ashford.

Mr Hodson was treated at London’s King’s College Hospital for stomach, wrist and elbow wounds after a bystander helped stem the flow of blood outside the high street pub.

He would have to endure multiple rounds of surgery - it would take medics 10 days to remove all the broken glass from his body.

O’Sullivan was jailed for eight-and-a-half years at Canterbury Crown Court for causing wounding with intent in May 2018.

He will have to serve a further three-and-a-half years on licence following his release.

The court heard O’Sullivan was drinking with his brother Connor O’Sullivan, 28, and friend Jack Malt, 28, when the attack unfolded.

“Shannon Hodson and a group of friends were talking in the outside area.

“Kieran O’Sullivan, with another male, approached the group and an exchange of words were heard,” prosecutor Peter Alcock explained.

Connor O’Sullivan punched Mr Hodson in the face knocking him over a table before Malt hurtled bottles towards him.

Kieran O’Sullivan then knelt over him with a broken bottle and thrusted it into his victim’s abdomen.

Bystanders described the scene as “a riot” with “tables overturned, plant pots overturned, blood on the ground.”

Onlooker Andrea Hudson rushed to Mr Hodson’s aid after the trio fled, she battled to stem the blood-loss before emergency services arrived.

Officers identified the trio by using the pub’s CCTV, they gave no comment interviews following their arrests.

Judge Catherine Brown told Kieran O’Sullivan “It is plain you are a troubled and violent man,” before imposing an extended sentence.

She told the trio: “A civilized society cannot tolerate young men, like you, putting people in fear.

“You behaved like uncivilized thugs.”

Former railway worker Kieran O’Sullivan, of East Way in Willesborough, has 22 convictions for 35 offences, the court heard.

He pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, affray and two counts of having an offensive weapon.

Mitigating his barrister Siobhan Molloy explained he suffers from a personality disorder, attention deficit disorder and pleaded guilty at an early opportunity.

"This was a merciless and sustained attack which could very easily have ended up being an even more serious case than it was."

At the time of his arrest, Connor O’Sullivan, of Scotney Close in Kingsnorth, was on licence for committing wounding with intent in 2011.

His lawyer Nicholas Hamblin said he pleaded guilty to affray at an early opportunity, had written a letter to the judge expressing his regret, and didn’t use a weapon during the brawl.

He was handed a two year community order after spending 10 months in custody and will have to complete 40 rehabilitation days and 100 hours unpaid work.

Malt’s lawyer Paul Hogben said his client is “a public nuisance” when drinking “but is not all bad.”

He explained Malt, of Newenden Close in Ashford, also pleaded guilty to affray at an early opportunity and has turned his life around since getting work.

“His employers are aware of these proceedings and have indicated they will keep him on if he retains his liberty,” he said.

Malt also pleaded guilty in a previous hearing to separate counts of driving while disqualified,

dangerous driving, driving without Insurance, criminal damage and assault by beating.

He was handed two years and four months custody and disqualified from driving for five years and six months.

Commenting after the sentencing, Detective Constable Laura Corbin, one of Kent Police's investigating officers, said: "This was a merciless and sustained attack which could very easily have ended up being an even more serious case than it was.

"The repeated use of the bottle during the assault showed that Kieran O'Sullivan was oblivious as to whether the victim was seriously injured, and the court has recognised that with this sentence.

"The extended licence period imposed on this defendant will help authorities prevent further offending by this dangerous man upon his eventual release from prison."

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