A LANCASTER man who carried out a disgraceful' attack on an innocent guest spending the New Year at an hotel has been jailed for a total of two years.

Former boxer Darren O'Connor reacted violently to a request to keep the noise down when a lengthy row with his pregnant girlfriend disturbed guests and staff at the Lancaster House Hotel.

Nephew Zachary O'Connor also took part in the assault.

Victim Alan Bramhall was punched and kicked and the attack continued after he was brought to his knees.

Labourer Darren O'Connor, 39, of Ripon Avenue, Lancaster, was given 12-months for assault occasioning actual bodily harm after being convicted following a trial. But first he must serve 12-months outstanding licence from a previous six-year drug sentence.

His 18-year-old nephew, of King Street, Lancaster, was also found guilty of assault by a jury. He was ordered to do 200 hours community work and pay £250 compensation plus £250 costs.

Preston Crown Court heard how violence broke out in the early hours of New Year's Day last year when Mr Bramhall and his wife were guests staying in a room next to Darren O'Connor at the hotel.

There was a row between the defendant and his girlfriend with shouting lasting more than two hours. By around 4am people had had enough.

Mr Bramhall and another man went to ask him to keep the noise down. He made a polite request and the first defendant offered a handshake. But then both Darren and Zachary O'Connor attacked him.

The victim was punched and kicked to the front and back, receiving between 10 and 20 blows from the two men. The attack continued even when the man had sunk to his knees.

A woman staying on the same corridor heard loud punches and likened the blows to those sometimes heard in TV programmes.

The defendants blamed the victim for what happened, claiming he had attacked Zachary. It was argued at the trial that the younger defendant was defending himself and his uncle helped out.

Mr Jacob Dyher, for Darren O'Connor, said the injuries were not as serious as they might otherwise have been. The defendant maintained the version of events that he put forward at his trial.

He had 89 offences on his record, including some for violence.

Recorder Kevin Grice said in passing sentence: "It was a disgraceful, prolonged and unwarranted attack upon a man who had done nothing more than ask you to be quiet. You have shown no real remorse for the injuries you inflicted on him.

"You were the prime mover in the incident and a custodial sentence is inevitable."

The nephew was told he had also come close to receiving youth custody.