A VIOLENT thug who fractured a man’s face for commenting on his girlfriend’s breasts has been jailed.

Michael Lonergan, 21, threw a haymaker punch at the man as he turned his back after making a crude remark in Durham Bus Station.

Durham Crown Court heard the incident happened on September 3 and the man want to hospital for treatment for two cheek fractures the day after.

Lonergan, of Worcester Road, Newton Hall, Durham, admitted GBH and was locked up for two years.

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said: “The accused threw a haymaker style punch at the right side of his face and the defendant fell over. The defendant then got on a bus.”

The court was told Lonergan has a history of violent behaviour.

In October last year he was convicted of assault after breaking his girlfriend’s nose with a baseball bat and biting her.

The year before he pulled a man from a motorbike and struck him around the head.

Mitigating, Scott Smith said: “It was a single blow and there was a lack of premeditation. The victim would seem to have made unfortunate comments that could have invoked somebody’s irritation.”

The court heard Lonergan has been diagnosed as suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and an anti-social personality disorder.

Judge Christopher Prince said: “The comment made was annoying and provocative and you should have ignored him.

“This was one powerful punch which caused grievous bodily harm to a defenceless man.

“I think that you are a person who poses a serious risk to others in the future.”

The judge highlighted a high profile campaign launched by Maxine Thompson after her son, Kristian, went into a coma and died after he was punched once during a night out in Consett in 2010.

The One Punch Can Kill campaign has the backing of Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg and Durham Constabulary Chief Constable Mike Barton.

Judge Prince said: “That blow could have killed him. It is that simple. One punch can kill.

“The message may not have got through to you but I hope it is a message, which will get through to others.

“If I did not impose a custodial sentence or reflect the gravity of what you did I would be failing in my duty to protect the public.

“I take the view that he was annoying but that did not justify you assaulting him in this vicious manner.”