A 24-year-old thug who attacked a man with a hammer in Stourbridge town centre after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs has been locked up for three years eight months.

Victim Akeem Pickett was struck eight times with the weapon after he had been "play fighting" with a friend in Market Street.

Jugjeet Singh had parked nearby so he could relieve himself while a passenger in his car walked towards the pair who were jostling, said Howard Searle prosecuting.

When Singh returned to his vehicle he thought his friend was involved in a confrontation with the victim and the other man and he armed himself with the hammer.

He struck Mr Pickett on the head, shoulder and arm and he fell to the ground, Mr Searle told Wolverhampton Crown Court.

It was fortunate, he went on, that the injuries sustained by the victim were not as serious as they might have been although he did have to go to hospital for treatment.

Lee Marklew defending said Singh had taken drugs, he had been drinking heavily and he "lost his head" in the incident.

Mr Marklew added: "He returned to his car to see his friend being threatened by two large men. He reacted badly in temper and drink and he realises he could have killed the injured party."

Singh, of Oval Road, Tipton, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and he was told immediate custody was the only possible sentence.