AN “evil monster” who left his victim severely brain damaged and dependent on carers for the rest of his life was jailed for 16 years.

Jay Kent, from Newport, was found guilty of carrying out a barbaric attack on Peter Cole which saw him on a life-support machine with catastrophic injuries.

After the jury returned their verdict, prosecutor Andrew Davies told Cardiff Crown Court the victim, whose life-expectancy was shortened as a result, has suffered a deterioration in his condition in recent months.

Kent grabbed Mr Cole by the throat during a drinking session at a flat before he punched him, kicked him and stamped on his head and face until he was unconscious before he resumed the assault by jumping on him.

The savagery of the attack resulted in the movement of one half of his victim’s brain and missing teeth while his facial fractures were repaired with four metal plates and 16 screws.

The 36-year-old, of no fixed abode, was also convicted of assaulting Jason Pearce on the same night while the three of them drank in Newport’s Tewkesbury Walk last October.

During the trial, the court heard how Mr Pearce died on March 12 but his passing was unconnected with any attack upon him by the defendant.

In a moving victim impact statement read to the court by Mr Davies, Mr Cole’s mother, who asked not to be named, said: “I have lost my son – he has been taken away. All I have left is a shell of the person I loved.

“We were very close and I always spoilt him. Every mum wants to spoil her son.

“When I went to see him in hospital, the doctors said it would be upsetting. I would never have known what they meant because his face was like a balloon.

“Imagine what if feels like not to be able to recognise your own son.

“He spent five hours in surgery because his head had been caved in. I started planning Peter’s funeral so that he could be buried with his dad in St Woolos.”

His mother added: “He has brain damage and will be disabled for the rest of his life. I would do anything to have my Peter back.

“He sits there with a vacant look on his face. What was done to him was pure evil. He may as well have killed Peter.”

Outside the court, a member of Mr Cole’s family said: “I think that Kent is an evil monster and a bully. He needs to be caged. We are pleased that he has been convicted.”

It took the jury of eight men and four women just 20 minutes to come back into the courtroom with guilty verdicts after they retired.

They found him guilty of causing Mr Cole grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Mr Pearce.

Kent, represented by Harry Baker, had claimed self-defence.

After returning their guilty verdicts, the jury were also told that the defendant was an habitual criminal with 55 convictions for 96 offences, including drugs, robbery and burglary.

Judge David Wynn Morgan told Kent: “You have taken the victim’s life away from him and the lives of those closest to him have been spoilt.”

He added: “During your evidence, you have shown not a hint of remorse for what you have done.”

Judge Morgan said Kent was a dangerous offender and imposed an extended 16-year sentence because he poses a risk of serious harm to the public.

This means the defendant will have to serve a 12-year custodial term with an added licence period of four years.