A young man stamped on and kicked a man’s head as he lay unconscious on the ground after a nightclub row spilled into town centre streets, a court heard.

Shocking CCTV footage showed the “moment of madness” in which 20-year-old Jack Thompson used his trainer-clad foot to attack Moustafa Merzuki.

Mr Merzuki was lying face up and prone in Market Street, Dartford, just after 3am on September 28 last year.

Maidstone Crown Court heard he had been pursued through the town by several young men after being thrown out of nearby Air and Breathe nightclub.

The moment he was knocked unconscious was not caught on camera, but Thompson, of Myrtle Place, Dartford, could be clearly seen jogging up to Mr Merzuki and striking forcefully down onto his head with his right foot.

He then took a few steps around his victim before kicking him, again to his head, in an action police later compared to a penalty kick.

Miraculously, Mr Merzuki, who woke up to find himself in hospital, only suffered bruising, and the court heard he told police he could not recall the attack and did not want to support a prosecution.

“It is an exceptionally serious offence you have committed that was limited in its consequences to Mr Merzuki. But that is, as admitted on your behalf, more by good fortune" - Recorder Julian Smith

Thompson, who admitted attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, was neither responsible for the attack which left Mr Merzuki unconscious on the ground nor involved in the initial row in the nightclub.

He was sent to a young offenders’ institution for two-and-a-half years. Passing sentence this week Recorder Julian Smith said he was unable to suspend any custodial term for what was a “considered” action by the apprentice pipefitter.

He said: “What you attempted to do was inflict really serious bodily harm.

“It is an exceptionally serious offence you have committed that was limited in its consequences to Mr Merzuki. But that is, as admitted on your behalf, more by good fortune."

During the hearing the judge remarked that it was also fortunate for others who had not been charged for what was a “sustained period” of public disorder.

Prosecutor David McNeill said Mr Merzuki and a friend were the first to be ejected from the nightclub.

It was later claimed that he had touched someone’s girlfriend, although he had no recollection of that.

Prosecutor David McNeill said Mr Merzuki and a friend were the first to be ejected from the nightclub.

It was later claimed that he had touched someone's girlfriend, although he had no recollection of that.

“What you attempted to do was inflict really serious bodily harm" - Recorder Julian Smith

Thompson and one of his friends were also thrown out and the CCTV footage shown in court showed Mr Merzuki and his friend being chased separately around the town centre by several young men, including Thompson, and for several minutes.

At one stage Mr Merzuki took off his shirt and removed his trouser belt to repeatedly lash out with it.

He was also struck to his head by an unknown male before being tripped over as he ran into Market Street.

The prosecutor said the attack by Thompson lasted less than 10 seconds and that the injury amounted to no more than what is usually associated with offences of common assault.

However, Mr McNeill said there was “higher culpability” as the victim was vulnerable by his state of unconsciousness and a shod foot was used as a weapon.

Catherine Farrelly, defending, said the attack on Mr Merzuki was "entirely" out of character and would not have happened had Thompson not drank to excess that night.

Describing him as a hard-working, respectful young man, Miss Farrelly said he was "disgusted" by his "thoroughly repellant" behaviour that night and had restricted any socialising since.

She added that Thompson, who was more than halfway through a four-year apprenticeship, risked "flushing away any progress made out of a moment of madness" if locked up, and urged the court to take an "extremely generous" approach.

"He is not just remorseful simply because of himself but because he recognises that he is extremely lucky the injuries incurred by the victim were not as severe as they otherwise might have been."