by Paul Hooper

The girlfriend of a man attacked in Ashford by two drunken bullies has won the praise of a judge for her courage in tackling the thugs.

Marta Suchomski stood between the men and her battered sweetheart, Pawel Jasinski, as he was being brutally punched and kicked.

Judge James O'Mahony said she had pleaded with them to stop and had put her body "on the line" to stop them - and was assaulted for her bravery.

The Polish couple, who have since married, were both hurt in the unprovoked beating which led to the jailing of a father-of-three Tony Fuller, 25.

Jobless Fuller, of Boxley, Ashford, was found guilty of two charges of assault and was sentenced to a total of 27 months behind bars.

Claire Cooper, prosecuting, told Canterbury Crown Court Mr Jasinski had been knocked unconscious twice during the incident in July 2010.

She said the couple had been making their way home after a BBQ party in Ashford when they came across Fuller and a friend who had been drinking in the Crusader Pub, in Ashford.

Fuller punched his victim to the back of his head, shouting "f****** foreigners... don't mess with the English."

Mr Jasinski passed out, but woke up to see two people kicking him and he was punched more than 10 times during the attack.

He later told police how Fuller had been "shouting and roaring like a wild animal" - before he lost consciousness for the second time.

The court heard Ms Suchomski then tried to stop the attack as she watched her boyfriend being assaulted by two men.

She told the court: "One of the men was kicking him, everywhere but mostly on the head. I was trying to protect Pawel with my body. I was trying to stand in between.

"this was a cowardly alcohol-fuelled assault and you knew all along that it was you who carried out these assaults but you pleaded not guilty and lied to the jury…” – judge james o'mahony

"He (Fuller) picked me up and threw me on the floor. I was shouting: 'Stop it. Stop hitting me. We have done nothing'. I then landed behind Pawel. I then stood up and saw two men kicking Pawel who was still lying on the floor.

"I kept shouting 'Stop' and was covering him (Pawel) with my body. I stood between them.I was then punched on the nose."

The judge added: "She showed quite a lot of courage."

Marta added: "Male one (Fuller) looked very angry and had gritted teeth. He looked mad or was on some substance. He then twisted my hand and when I tried to free myself - he hit me with a slap to the face."

Fuller's barrister, Nicholas Maggs, told the court: "The truth is he had been drinking far more than he should have been on the evening that this occurred and that alcohol made him act like a thug.

"Since this attack, however, he has seriously reduced his alcohol intake."

The judge told him: "This was a cowardly alcohol-fuelled assault and you knew all along that it was you who carried out these assaults but you pleaded not guilty and lied to the jury.

"Decent people are utterly sick and tired of drunken violence in the streets."

The second assailant has never been identified.