A thug who stamped on the face of a man as he lay defenceless on the ground has been locked up for six years.

Witnesses watched in horror as 25-year-old Jordan Mark Dixon launched a ferocious attack on victim Rodney Lowden as he lay prone in Botchergate, Carlisle.

Dixon went on trial at Carlisle Crown Court this week having denied wounding Mr Lowden with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

But yesterday he was unanimously convicted of the attack - committed on October 10 last year - by a jury of seven women and five men.

Mr Lowden had earlier told jurors he and friend Craig McKay were "jumped" by other males as they left the Cumberland Inn, Botchergate.

His friend was struck, Mr Lowden recalled, adding: "Some lad punched me right in the face. I was knocked out. I woke up in hospital."

Mr Lowden needed eight stitches to an injury above his eye. A photograph of this wound was deemed so graphic that Judge Peter Davies spared jurors from seeing it during the hearing. Mr Lowden underwent a head X-ray and suffered bruises to his head and shoulder.

Mr McKay said the pair were out celebrating Mr Lowden's birthday. He confirmed he was assaulted first and knocked to the ground.

"I came around. I saw Rodney on the other side of the road in a doorway," said Mr McKay. "I saw him getting stamped on."

An off-duty police officer leaving the nearby cinema with his wife also witnessed the shocking attack. It was "definitely" a stamp, he told the jury.

Dixon was pointed out and arrested soon after. His trainers were seized and were found to have Mr Lowden's blood on the soles.

He admitted kicking out once but denied that he stamped on the victim.

Giving mitigation after Dixon's conviction, his lawyer, Paul Tweddle, said: "Until this day he had a normal uneventful life that was similar to many others.

"He understands now that has crumbled and he will be spending a considerable length of time behind bars."

Jailing Dixon, of Siddick Road, Siddick, Workington, Judge Davies told the mechanical engineer it was a matter of "good fortune" there had not been a fatality.

"That is how dangerous your actions were. You rushed to Mr Lowden's prone and defenceless body," said the judge.

"In an act of savage brutality you stamped on his face."