A MAN who set upon a reveller as he walked home from a night out in Clitheroe has been jailed.

John Burnside, 23, spotted Andrew Hall, 22, close to the train station on October 27, and attacked him, knocking him to the ground, punching and kicking him.

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Mr Hall, who was only minutes away from his home, was left with bruises on his face, head and back and shaken by the attack, which was completely unprovoked.

Burnside also stole his mobile phone during the attack.

Speaking after Burnside was jailed for two years, Mr Hall said: “Clitheroe is a nice, quiet place.

“I never expected anything like this to happen to me when I was walking home.”

Burnside, of Low Moor, Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to robbery and appeared at Preston Crown Court to be sentenced.

The court heard he has schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder and during 2016 was drinking heavily after giving up drugs.

Recorder John Jefferies, sentencing, said: “Mr Hall was walking home having had a pizza and a drink.

“He expected to go home unmolested, unassaulted and not to end up the victim of a robbery.

“Thankfully Mr Hall didn’t suffer any serious or long-term injuries, but I have seen pictures.

“This was a robbery committed by you at night, when Mr Hall was in drink.

“Although there was no serious injury it is a long way from there being no physical or psychological injury.”

Burnside apologised to his victim through the court, but after the case, Mr Hall said: “It is decent of him to apologise, but I don’t want to hear it. I had to take time off work as a chef for the first time since I started my job.

“I have never had any problems walking home. It really shook me up.”