Graham Fulcher with his son Nigel, left.THE father of a man left with severe brain injuries after an unprovoked town centre assault has criticised the sentence given to his son's attacker.

Graham Fulcher, a merchant seaman, spoke from the Caribbean on hearing that Michael Knight, a homeless 20-year-old, had been sentenced to five-and-a-half-years for the attack in The Parade. It left Nigel Fulcher with an eight-inch cut to his head, a fractured left eye socket, a blood clot on the brain and a severely swollen face.

But although relieved his son's attacker was finally behind bars, Mr Fulcher, 54, of Devonport, Plymouth, said the English justice system was governed by the blind.

Mr Fulcher said: "The chances of my son Nigel making a 100 per cent recovery are very remote. He is the one that has been given a life sentence, unlike Mr Knight. In my view that is where our judiciary system is governed by the blind and metered out by those who will not see.

"Until we rediscover the words respect and justice, an Englishman's home will continue to be nothing but a sandcastle. I just wish I would have been home with Nigel to give him support, but I work for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and at present am away for four months helping to catch drug smugglers in the Caribbean.

"That is my sentence not being with my family and loved ones over the Christmas festivities.

"I would like to thank the Evening Advertiser for its coverage and Wiltshire Constabulary, especially DC Paul Drever, for his massive support to my family in his dogged pursuit."

Knight was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Friday a hearing Nigel Fulcher, 36,could not attend because he was too sick.

Although he has made a full physical recovery the Honda worker, of Ravenglass Road, Westlea, may never be able to work again and still has trouble communicating.

He had enjoyed playing golf and football and taking his six-year-old son Ryan to watch Manchester United, but now he has difficulty talking and dealing with money.

He says he feels like an idiot because he has to carry a card telling shop assistants why he gets easily confused when handing over money.

Witnesses recall seeing Knight smash a glass bottle over Mr Fulcher's head with 'real force' during the attack about 9.30pm on July 3. He then repeatedly kicked him in the head, stomach and chest.

Fortunately, a witness pointed Knight out to a passing policeman and he was arrested.

Sentencing Knight, Judge Thomas Longbotham, said: "You were followed by a member of the public who very properly and responsibly pointed you out to a passing police officer so you were caught pretty well red handed.

"The effect on Mr Fulcher has been pretty devastating there is no doubt at all you should go to prison."