A TEENAGE thug whose single cowardly punch led to serious brain damage for a young Australian has failed in an Appeal Court bid to have his three-year sentence cut.

Jamie Baldwin, 19, of Rolleston Street, Swindon, was jailed at Swindon Crown Court in November last year after he pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Mr Justice Roderick Evans, sitting with Mr Justice Pitchers at London's Appeal Court, refused to cut Baldwin's sentence dismissing the argument that it was manifestly excessive.

The judge said that Baldwin and a group of his friends were out in Swindon town centre when they came across a group of young men, including the victim.

Words were exchanged between the two groups, who then went their separate ways.

However, Baldwin then ran back and punched his victim once in the head from behind.

That one blow had tragic consequences as the young man fell to the ground and banged his head which led to him suffering brain damage.

Lawyers for Baldwin argued that the sentence meted out was too long in view of his relative youth.

However, refusing to cut the sentence, Mr Justice Roderick Evans pointed to Baldwin's long previous history of violent offences.

He concluded: "In this case, the blow that felled the victim was a cowardly blow from behind and gave him no opportunity to protect himself.

"It cannot be said that the sentence imposed was manifestly excessive and this appeal is dismissed."