A thug who stamped on a man's head, causing two fractures to his face, has been locked up for seven years.

A judge told 20-year-old Kane Stammers that although he had taken his young age into account, he could not ignore the psychological affects the attack had had on his victim.

Stammers, of Penfold Close, Maidstone, denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Christian Owen, but was convicted by a jury at Maidstone Crown Court.

His 22-year-old brother Matthew, of Quarry Square, Maidstone, and Joe King, 23, of Fernhill Road, Maidstone, denied the same charge, as well as an alternative, lesser offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm. They were both cleared by the same jury.

During the trial, Matthew Stammers told the court he saw his brother stamp on Mr Owen's head and left him "half dead".

He denied he was blaming Kane Stammers because of a family feud.

Passing sentence, Judge Philip St.John-Stevens told Stammers he had joined in an attack on a defenceless Mr Owen as he lay on the ground.

While he said he accepted he had not initiated the violence, the judge said Stammers had stamped on Mr Owen's head three times.

He was left "unconscious and bleeding" on a grass area outside flats in Quarry Square.

Stammers will serve the start of his sentence in a young offenders' institution before being transferred to an adult prison at the age of 21.

Violence flared last year following on-going complaints about noise and loud music coming from the flat above the home Mr Owen shared with his wife, Sam, and young son.

Prosecutor Christopher May told the court the couple had written to their MP, contacted the environmental health department and kept a diary but to no avail.

On April 14, the Stammers brothers were at the above flat and the prosecutor said the situation worsened when Matthew Stammers was sick over the balcony.

When Mr Owen encountered the group of men, he threw a punch at one of them.

However, the court heard he was then grabbed by his arms and forced to the ground, where he was punched and kicked.

"He sustained severe facial injuries, including two fractures," added Mr May.

Kane and Matthew Stammers initially told police they saw Mr Owen being attacked and went to assist him.

However, four months later, Matthew Stammers admitted they had told "a bunch of lies" and then accused his brother of being responsible.

Kane Stammers, who was said by defence counsel Mary Jacobson to have an alcohol problem, did not give evidence during his trial.

A fourth man, John Davis, 27, of Bloomsbury, Wyatt Street, also denied the offences and was found not guilty by direction of the judge.