A man has been jailed for 14 months for an unprovoked assault which left his victim with a fractured skull.

Christopher Paxton, 23, of Cromwell Road, Banbury, admitted causing grievous bodily harm, after a 38-year-old man was left with serious head injuries on December 24, 2010.

Paxton was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday.

Paxton confronted the victim in Cromwell Road in relation to an unpaid debt following the sale of a games console.

Paxton punched his victim in the face causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head on the pavement. The attack was witnessed by several residents who went to the victim’s aid.

The victim was taken to Horton General Hospital before being transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford where he spent 15 days in intensive care after suffering three bleeds to the brain. He has still not fully recovered from his injuries.

Det Con Mike West said: “This was an unprovoked and nasty assault which has left the victim with serious head injuries from which he is still recovering at home.

“It is hard to believe that a man suffered life-threatening injuries for what Paxton felt was an unpaid debt of just a few pounds.”