A THUG who claimed to have found God breached a suspended sentence order by fracturing a man's jaw in a drunken attack.

Judge Jonathan Gibson gave Liam O'Callaghan a suspended sentence in January after he tried to snatch to snatch a handbag from a woman's shoulder.

At that time Judge Gibson said there was a 'good chance of rehabilitation' in O'Callaghan's case after hearing he had found Christianity during a previous spell behind bars and was planning to take part in a two-year programme with Manchester-based Christian charity, Message Enterprise Centre.

However, Burnley Crown Court heard just five months after being given that second chance O'Callaghan broke a man's jaw in a one-punch attack.

Prosecuting Lisa Worsley said hours before the attack on June 8 victim Thomas Dempsey had been in the Station Hotel in Nelson with friends where he had consumed 10 pints of Carling and two Jack Daniel's whiskey and cokes.

They then moved onto the Lord Nelson where Mr Dempsey had two further whiskey and cokes, before his friends left him at 12.20am.

Ms Worsley said Mr Dempsey was content to drink alone but his last recollection of the night was going outside to have a cigarette.

However, doorman James Swindles told police he remembered Mr Dempsey coming out for a cigarette and talking to him about his friends. O'Callaghan also came a for a cigarette but an argument ensued when Mr Dempsey asked the defendant if he wouldn't stand so close to him.

O'Callaghan responded by telling Mr Dempsey: "I'll stand where I want and do what I want."

Mr Swindles ushered Mr Dempsey inside and took his drink off him and warned him about O'Callaghan who he described as a 'handy lad."

Mr Swindles also told O'Callaghan that Mr Dempsey was really drunk and he could 'blow him over'.

Mr Dempsey did go back outside and as he was telling O'Callaghan that he wasn't scared of him the defendant landed a single punch to the left side of his head, causing him to fall into the doorway.

Mr Swindles initially thought Dempsey wasn't breathing, but the victim eventually got up.

Ms Worsley said Mr Dempsey got up the following day with jaw ache but had no recollection of what had happened.

Five days after the attack he went to hospital and was told he would need surgery on a fractured jaw. A surgeon later told him he wouldn't need surgery but would be on a liquid diet for up to eight weeks.

In a victim impact statement Mr Dempsey, who is a carpet fitter, said he was now anxious of going out and feared what O'Callaghan would do if he was him around Nelson.

O'Callaghan, who has 81 convictions for 141 offences, pleaded guilty to GBH without intent.

Defending, Mark Stuart said although he accepted Mr Dempsey had probably got a non displaced fracture of the jaw he remained in the pub for two hours after the assault.

He added: "Mr O'Callaghan shouldn't have had the argument with him. He shouldn't have lost his temper."

Judge Andrew Woolman sentenced O'Callaghan, of York Street, Nelson, to 36 weeks for the GBH and activated 26 weeks of the 27-week suspended sentence.