A vigilante who hit a man in the face with a metal ratchet breached his suspended sentence but has still not been jailed.

Liam Garvey was given a suspended prison term in March having admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, a charge that carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

The 21-year-old was one of three youths who set upon Thomas West in a Wallingford car park after their victim had robbed an autistic man in the town.

Garvey, of Cherwell Road, Berinsfield, was initially given a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £500 compensation and do 200 hours’ unpaid work by Judge Christopher Compston, who said at the time he was taking “an exceptional course”.

At Oxford Crown Court yesterday, Garvey admitted breaching his suspended sentence on October 16.

Prosecutor Jane Malcolm said the defendant, who has completed 157.5 hours of unpaid work, was “sent off site as he was being abusive to the site manager”.

“Because of his behaviour the unpaid work team are unwilling to have him back.”

Trudi Yeatman, defending, said her client was working alongside an old school friend, who fired an elastic band at him. She said Garvey became “extremely frustrated” when the pair were sent home for the incident, adding: “He accepts he swore, not at the offender manager directly, but a venting of his frustration at an excellent work record being blighted.”

Judge Anthony King said it would be “unjust” to impose the prison sentence and handed Garvey a three month curfew between 8pm and 6am and told him to pay £150 costs.