A drunk thug has been jailed for punching a defenceless street pastor in the face just months after he was spared prison for another booze-fuelled attack.

Tyger Walker, 20, pledged never to touch alcohol again after he dodged prison in January for repeatedly whipping a stranger with a belt in Ashford town centre.

But just six months later, and while heavily intoxicated, he set upon a 77-year-old volunteer tending to a woman in the town's high street.

Prosecutors told how Walker approached Terence Golding - a community stalwart made an MBE in 2014 - and “for no reason whatsoever punched the pastor in the face, knocking him to the floor”.

When he was arrested he told PC Thomas Burn “I will knock you out too”, adding: “I will kill you and I know who your mum is."

While being taken into custody Walker attempted to headbutt the officer but missed.

Canterbury Crown Court was told the assault happened in July of this year, just three weeks after he was arrested after being found in possession of cannabis and cocaine.

It also followed a previous court hearing in January, when he was given a suspended prison sentence for the belt attack in September of last year.

On that occasion Walker was caught on CCTV swinging the weapon around outside a kebab shop in Ashford.

He then used the belt to whip a stranger across the side of his head and face, slashing his eye.

The victim was then lashed over his arms and body, causing several cuts and bruises.

Walker admitted actual bodily harm, affray and possession of an offensive weapon, but was told his 10-month jail term would only be activated if he found himself in trouble within a year.

The drugs possession and attack on Mr Golding put him in breach of the suspended sentence.

Judge Catherine Brown said the strike against Mr Golding “could have caused serious damage”, adding Walker was lucky to not be facing a more serious charge.

She told him Mr Golding was “assaulted for no reason whatsoever”, adding: “Society expects if a suspended sentence order is passed, if someone is given a chance, if you don’t take that chance and commit further offences of violence, that order will be activated.

“You are, despite your problems, old enough and mature enough to know what you were doing was wrong.

“You really need to understand when you are released that you must address your issues with drink because you simply cannot behave in the way that you have been.

“You essentially need to grow up - do you understand?”

Walker, of Whitfield Road, replied: “Yes, I understand.”

Charlotte Oliver, mitigating, said Walker, when not drinking, was “a pleasant, albeit young 20-year-old” who suffered a difficult childhood.

He has since entered a new relationship, Miss Oliver added, explaining: “All he really wanted me to tell you is he is sorry, and drinking commits him straight back to prison and he is hopeful this will be the new start he has been looking for for some time.”

Walker pleaded guilty to assault by beating, a public disorder offence and possession of a Class A and Class B drug at an early opportunity.

Judge Brown activated eight months of his suspended sentence order and handed him a further four months for assault by beating.

Time already spent on remand will be deducted from Walker’s overall sentence, meaning he will soon be released from HMP Elmley’s Young Offenders’ Institute.