by Julia Roberts

A thug who struck a man over the head with a metal baseball bat was jailed for 15 months today.

The public gallery at Maidstone Crown Court erupted in anger when 44-year-old Ronald McCoy was sentenced.

His mother began sobbing, criticising the justice system, while another woman told Recorder Christopher Wilson that she hoped he "slept well tonight".

The court heard that McCoy, of Orchard Grove, Minster, Sheerness, lashed out at David Lynch during a family dispute.

The incident in Cliff Gardens, Minster, during the early hours of May 5 last year originally involved members of McCoy's brother's family.

Mr Lynch went into the street and was said to have become "embroiled" in the disturbance.

McCoy then received a telephone call from a relative and, according to Recorder Wilson, "went to Cliff Gardens expecting trouble".

He added: "You took out of your car an aluminium baseball bat. You struck Mr Lynch over the head with it before calmly walking off as the police arrived."

The court heard the blow caused a cut to Mr Lynch's head which had to be glued. There was no fracture.

McCoy, who runs a satellite navigation business which employs eight staff, denied unlawful wounding at his trial earlier this month but was convicted by a jury.

Richard Furlong, defending, described the attack as isolated and "wholly out of character" and urged the court to impose a suspended sentence.

However, Recorder Wilson said he was constrained by guidelines to impose jail.

"The tragedy of this case is that the sentence I feel I have to impose on you will affect your employees as well.

"I would if I could pass a non-custodial sentence but I am constrained by the guidelines from doing so."