A TEENAGE thug who left a man needing steel plates in his jaw with just one punch was jailed for 14 months yesterday.

George Bettles, who, a court heard, had been acting like a ‘gangster’, launched the attack as he stood outside a pizzeria in the early hours of the morning.

The attack took place just three days after the 19-year-old was warned by magistrates to do his community service after he failed to comply with an order imposed for assault.

Police said it was only after the Adver ran a public appeal that they received information leading to Bettles’ arrest.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said Nigel Witchard and Lucy Lysenco had been drinking on February 17, and went to a takeaway in Royal Wootton Bassett. Mr Witchard waited outside while Miss Lysenco went inside, where she exchanged words with the defendant.

“She was probably rude to him, but rude was as high as it got,” he told Swindon Crown Court.

“She took offence to the way he was carrying himself: thought he was pretending to be a streetwise gangster and told him so.

“He came outside and exchanged words with Mr Witchard. Quite what happened is not clear. Mr Witchard gives no indication that he behaved in an aggressive way.”

Mr Meeke said a couple of witnesses claimed they saw him stand in Bettles’ path but they did not see the blow.

The defendant fled in a waiting car and the victim went to hospital where he underwent an operation to have steel plates fitted into his face, which will have to be removed.

A witness appeal was launched and the numberplate of the vehicle was discovered and Bettles questioned.

Bettles originally denied being in Royal Wootton Basset on the night in question, but when he appeared before magistrates he admitted grievous bodily harm.

Mr Meeke said he had been convicted of ABH in August 2010 and again last September, when he was told to do 80 hours’ community service.

“On February 14, just three days before this occurred, he was back before the justices and warned of the requirements of the order and left in no doubt what his obligations were,” he said.

Mike Jeary, defending, said his client had been out with his girlfriend when they went to the pizzeria.

Once inside he said Miss Lysenco was being rude to staff and customers and picked on him when he entered the store.

He said: “In very simple terms he goes out and he passes the remark, he doesn’t swear, ‘if that is your girlfriend there, she is being very rude’.”

He said the man then followed him to the car and continued after him when Bettles pushed him back so he landed the one punch before getting in the car and saying ‘drive’.

Mr Jeary said he had now left Calne to live with his grandparents in Middlesex where he was doing voluntary work.

Jailing him, Judge Douglas Field said: “Whatever reason you had in your mind for acting in this way it is inexcusable.

“What makes it worse is on August 18, 2010, you were convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and again on October 10 last year for an identical offence. The situation is so serious I would be failing in my public duty if I did not impose an immediate custodial sentence.”