A violent lout who attacked a man on his way home from his stag do outside a nightclub posted pictures of himself on social media in a "thug life" pose days after admitting his crime.

Rugby player Nathan Mitford had been booted out of Ocean Rooms in Deal when he and and a friend attacked innocent bridegroom-to-be Daniel Carr.

Mitford struck the father-of-two in the face as he crossed Queen Street in Deal, causing him to stagger backwards.

Then as the victim stood dazed in the street, thug Robbie Brannan struck a blow which sent Mr Carr crashing to the ground – breaking his jaw in three places.

The two, “proud of their violence, then swaggered” away leaving others to race to help the stricken victim who was left with life-changing injuries after he had gone to help door staff eject them.

Now a judge has heard that, rather than showing remorse, 36-year-old father-of-two Mitford posted a picture of himself mocking being a thug.

His pals had also used social media to criticise KentOnline and our sister paper the East Kent Mercury for exposing Mitford’s behaviour. But Judge Simon James told him that our report was accurate.

Mitford had also allowed his Facebook account to claim he had been the victim of racist abuse from the victim – but his lawyer said the defendant had since retracted his claim.

Mitford, from St James Close, Deal, was sent to prison for 45 weeks after he admitted assaulting Mr Carr.

Brannan, 26, of Anglers Drive, Deal, was given a two-year jail sentence for causing grievous bodily harm.

Judge James told them it had been “a revenge attack, pure and simple” even though there had been “no provocation”.

He added: “As your victim laid prostrate on the ground both of you walked off with what appears to be a swagger you both seemed proud of your use of unnecessary violence.

“Late night drunken violence in the streets in the town centre, in front of innocent members of the public, is a blight on our towns and calls for a strong rebuke.”

Earlier Canterbury Crown Court heard how Mitford and Brannan had been drinking in the Ocean Rooms nightclub on July 3, 2016.

Prosecutor Mary Jacobson said Mr Carr was also in the club celebrating his forthcoming marriage to fiancée Shantala.

She revealed how Mitford and Brannan had been ejected at 2.24am following an incident but Mitford then tried to get back inside.

“As your victim laid prostrate on the ground both of you walked off with what appears to be a swagger. You both seemed proud of your use of unnecessary violence..." - Judge Simon James

The prosecutor said Mr Carr, who had helped the door supervisors with the eviction, then left via a side entrance.

The judge was then shown CCTV footage which showed the two men looking for Mr Carr down an alleyway.

Mr Carr is then seen crossing the road walking away from the club when first, Mitford and then Brannan, launched their separate attacks.

Such was the ferocity of the assaults, that Mr Carr made no attempt to break his fall and his face smashed against the road.

Ms Jacobson added that Mr Carr’s jaw was broken and one of his teeth was knocked deep into his gum and two others were broken.

She said the victim was then taken to the William Harvey Hospital and needed emergency treatment.

Mr Carr, in four victim impact statements, revealed how he has undergone several operations as dental experts worked to limit the damage.

The court heard he has now been left with permanent life-changing injuries including a reduction in eyesight.

Rupert Wheeler, for Mitford, claimed the postings on Facebook was because he felt angry at being depicted as a thug in our report – and didn’t mean he didn’t have sympathy for the victim.

Mitford, who has previous police cautions for violence, had made his comments “in a moment of madness and the heat of the moment” and was usually a hard-working, family man.

Ben Irwin, for Brannan told the judge: “This was a terrible incident but his remorse is genuine and heartfelt.

“What you saw on the CCTV was not the kind of man he really is. He did something terrible and he will think about it every day for the rest of his life.”

Brannan wept as the court heard he had been to a wedding that day and had put his father into a taxi because he was so drunk.

Mr Irwin added that he realised now he should have gone home but was “out of control” when he threw a single punch which had devastating consequences.

The defence barrister said the defendant Brannan had “got the wrong end of the stick” when he believed he had been struck by Mr Carr inside the club.

Before the case was opened, Judge James told Mitford’s lawyers that the defendant had alleged he had been racially abused him on two occasions.

“The defendant did not give such an account when arrested or in his Defence Case Statement and was not submitted in his basis of plea at the earlier hearing.”

He added that he was not prepared to sentence Mitford on that basis without hearing evidence.

Defence barrister Rupert Wheeler replied: “Mitford doesn’t seek to put that before the court as part of his mitigation and there will be nothing mentioned about that. He resiles from that comment.

“I will not be putting forward any mitigation that can be considered derogatory.”

The judge said he had been aware, following the last hearing, of our court report which “seems to have engendered resentment” from Mitford and his friends.

“I am also aware of postings on social media in respect of the article and the way he was being considered because of his admissions.

“I am also aware that after the discussions about the report discussions on social media and that the defendant chose to update his picture and profile, depicting him with a baseball cap, sunglasses and smoking a spiff, with the words: ‘Thug Life’ emblazoned on the photo-shopped cap and medallion.

“The article I have read seems on the face of it to be an entirely factually accurate reflection of what transpired at the hearing.”

Kent Police officers were directed to Brannan, who was getting into a taxi when he was arrested. The victim was taken to hospital and Mitford was identified and arrested the following day.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Ruth Goddard, said: "Both men played a part in this attack, which left a man with severe facial injuries and required hours of surgery. What’s worse they left him there completely unresponsive.

"He had to undergo several operations and has been left with permanent nerve damage to his face.

"There is never a reason to use violence and we would remind people of how seriously we take violent crimes."