brutally assaulting another man with a baseball bat.

Paul Smith, of Middle Town Lane, pleaded guilty to causing bodily harm to Ricardo Robinson on June 6.

In Magistrates' Court earlier this week, prosecutor Veronica Gordon explained how Mr. Robinson was walking along Middle Town Lane when he spotted Smith in a gang of other men.

The court heard how Smith then picked up sticks and the bat and, approaching Mr. Robinson, warned: "You'd better run.'' Although the complainant tried to hitch a ride in a passing truck in a bid to escape his attacker, Smith managed to hit him through an open window and he was forced out of the vehicle.

Robinson was then repeatedly struck in the back of the head, shoulders and collar bone.

He was eventually able to struggle free and run to safety and was conveyed to hospital for treatment to a bruised face and shoulder.

The court heard how Mr. Robinson was still suffering from his injuries and had been unable to work since the attack.

Although Smith, who has two young children, admitted the assault and to possessing an offensive weapon, in court he claimed he had been provoked into the assault after Mr. Robinson had attacked him in an earlier incident.

But Magistrate Edward King refused to accept the mitigating circumstances, claiming it was wrong for Smith to take the law into his own hands.

"A custodial sentence is warranted to stop this gangland behaviour,'' he told Smith.

"The days of self-help justice are over. This type of behaviour is reprehensible and will not be tolerated.