A SLOUGH thug “should be ashamed of himself” after beating up a vulnerable man and leaving with permanent breathing difficulties.

Kyle Foster, of Grampian Way, today escaped a prison sentence after admitting to punching and kicking a man in the face.

The 24-year-old will instead carry out unpaid work and has been banned from drinking in an effort to rehabilitate.

This comes after an incident in Slough on January 31, 2020, when Foster was with his girlfriend and her male friend at the latter’s flat.

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The three of them were having an ‘easy-going night’ drinking before the men walked the girl home.

Foster and the man then walked back towards Trelawney Avenue when the latter mentioned the former’s girlfriend.

“That was the point at which the defendant’s behaviour changed dramatically”, prosecutor Tom Blackburn said.

“The defendant went nuts. He punched the man multiple times to the face, shouting and swearing as he was doing that, and that punching was so hard it caused the man to fall to the floor. He then kicked him in the face.”

The victim said he was semi-conscious when the attack occurred, his nose bled and his sight kept going.

Two police officers passed by and intervened in the altercation after noticing the victim’s blood on Foster’s body.

When asked about the incident, Foster said “he [the victim] should not have been talking about my bird in that way”, Reading Crown Court heard.

The victim suffered fractures to the bones in his nose, among other injuries.

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Doctors opted not to carry out reconstructive surgery on the victim’s nose due to his underlying health conditions, which means he has been left with long-term breathing problems.

In a statement read by Mr Blackburn, the victim said: “I think about the attack and how easily someone you think is your friend can harm you.”

Mr Blackburn said the victim’s anxiety has increased since the incident and he had to have a month off work afterwards.

“The impact was financial, emotional and it was psychological”, the barrister concluded.

Tom Blackburn, defending, said Foster expressed “genuine remorse and regret” for what he had done.

He said the attack was aggravated by Foster’s being drunk at the time, but asked the judge to suspend the defendant’s prison sentence.

Recorder Dyer, sentencing, said: “This was a nasty assault on a vulnerable man who was supposed to be your friend.

“You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself.

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“There was an abuse of power going on here with a vulnerable young man who you preyed upon.

“He regarded you as a friend and therefore you abused that position of trust.”

Recorder Dyer agreed to suspended Foster’s 12-month prison sentence for two years for one count of assault.

However, he was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, take part in 15 rehab activity days, and pay the victim £905 in compensation.

Foster was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, April 26.