A MAN has been jailed for a shocking Whitehaven town centre attack which left his badly injured victim feeling "very lucky to be alive".

CCTV footage was shown at Carlisle Crown Court this morning which captured Thomas Lee O'Fee and Richard Kenyon involved in drunken gesturing on a public road at around 3am on June 14.

They then moved into nearby College Street and were involved in sparring before Mr O'Fee knocked Mr Kenyon - who had earlier delivered a number of blows - to the ground.

As Mr Kenyon lay completely motionless, his head was repeatedly stamped on, kicked and punched by 23-year-old O'Fee, CCTV showing him lashing out with almost two dozen violent strikes.

Mr Kenyon suffered multiple facial fractures, and a fracture to the base of his skull.

He was hospitalised for almost a fortnight, and underwent lengthy surgery to have plates and screws fitted to his face although the court heard there was no long-term, brain injury.

But in a statement, married father Mr Kenyon told how he had been "changed" by the serious head injuries he sustained, and described feeling "very lucky to be alive".

"When my children first saw me they cried because I didn't look like their dad," he stated. "That was heart-breaking."

O'Fee, of George Street, Whitehaven, admitted unlawfully and maliciously causing Mr Kenyon grievous bodily harm with intent.

Said by his barrister to be "remorseful", he was jailed for eight years by Judge James Adkin.

"Your ferocious violence on a man rendered unconscious by yourself could so easily have resulted in a murder charge," said Judge Adkin. "He was rendered limp as a rag doll."