A thug punched and bit a close pal in an argument over a barmaid before shaking his hand and hugging him.

Now a judge has branded Dirk Peterson's behaviour as "animalistic" after hearing how a second victim was left with a broken ankle.

He jailed the 52-year-old, of Ivy Street, Rainham, for two years after he admitted assaulting Harpreet Singh and his uncle Kuldip Singh.

Prosecutor Viv Walters told Maidstone Crown Court that Peterson and Harpreet had been drinking in Gillingham's Fleur De Lis pub in July.

She said: "Just before 3.45pm the pair were sat together at a table drinking and socialising when all of sudden Peterson started shouting at Mr Singh and becoming extremely aggressive.

"He stood up, leant over Mr Singh whilst shouting at him before throwing a glass across the bar."

She said Mr Singh "wasn’t aggressive" but Peterson punched him in the face in "an unprovoked attack", knocking him to the floor.

Less than an hour later, Kuldip Singh – who is Harpreet's uncle – arrived only to be confronted by Peterson who grabbed a bottle and raised it above his head.

"Without any provocation Peterson then punched him in the face knocking him to the floor.

"He then grabbed Kuldip by the face holding him on the floor, and punched him in the head two more times."

Ms Walters said that as he fell, his right foot gave way and snapped at the ankle – yet the thug carried on the attack, this time biting his nose and spitting blood in his victim's face.

Outside the pub, Peterson then attacked Harpreet again – punching him a further 10 times.

The prosecutor said that bizarrely, Peterson returned to the bar and shook Kuldip's hand and embraced him, as he was wiping away the blood.

After his arrest he gave police a prepared statement which read: “I was in the Fleur-de-Lis. During that day, threats were made against me.

"At least two individuals came into the Fleur-de-Lis to threaten me further. They tried to get me to go outside where others were waiting for me. Fearing for my life, I defended myself.”

But Judge Tony Baumgartner said the pub's CCTV footage, which was shown in court, revealed a different scenario.

Tom Stern, defending, said the argument had begun when tension grew out of "pub banter over a female who works behind the bar".

'At least two individuals came into the Fleur-de-Lis to threaten me further...'

The judge said tempers then flared despite there being no aggression shown by Harpreet or Kuldip.

Jailing Peterson, he told him: "You reacted in a most animalistic way. When your temper is lit, it is from a very short fuse."

Speaking after sentencing, investigating officer Sgt Claire Pye said: "This was a vicious and prolonged attack on two men who knew Peterson personally.

"The level of violence exhibited caused injuries to both victims who had not provoked him in any manner and during the incident did not attempt to harm him, but only protect themselves. I’m pleased he has been sentenced accordingly."

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