A ONE-PUNCH thug who left a victim with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain was last night starting a prison sentence.

Rory Soley's unprovoked attack in Darlington town centre was just three months after he dodged jail for an identical assault.

The lout's criminal record is littered with offences of violence, and his barrister yesterday said he needs help with his temper.

Teesside Crown Court was shown security camera footage of the 3.30am horror in which Soley was bare-chested in Blackwellgate.

The 21-year-old appears to be arguing with his girlfriend, walks off and throws a devastating punch at the first person he meets.

The victim was knocked unconscious, and was taken to a high-dependency unit at James Cook a University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

In an impact statement, he reveals how his parents feared the worst when they heard the news, and said: "I don't understand it."

He added: "I have been left panicky and anxious and I was scared about long-term effects, thinking I would be damaged for life.

"Why did he do it? Will he do it again? It has shown it can happen without warning. I have no idea why he assaulted me."

Ben Pegman, mitigating, said Soley told police he was disgusted with himself when he saw the footage of the incident on August 7.

"The defendant accepts entirely this was an offence committed without provocation and the victim was totally blameless," he said.

"Mr Soley was clearly angry after an argument with his girlfriend and he was unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"His record is a demonstration of someone who, when intoxicated, cannot control his emotions and acts inappropriately and aggressively.

"He has recognised he needs to do something about this and while in custody he has attempted to enrol on an anger management course."

Soley, of Coleridge Gardens, Darlington, admitted a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm and was jailed for 29 months.

Part of the sentence is nine months that was suspended in May for punching a man in the face outside a pub and breaking his nose.

Judge Howard Crowson told him: "What we witnessed on the CCTV was a very unpleasant attack, and you have been prone to that type of behaviour.

"You attacked a man in very similar circumstances outside a bar and breached the terms of your suspended sentence in the most obvious way."