A ROWDY drunk left an unlucky passer-by with lasting injuries after a random street attack. David Norman Appleton had been drinking heavily at Wisbech s Tidman bar at the Rose and Crown Hotel when he struck Aziz Karaoghan on the side of the head. The out

A ROWDY drunk left an unlucky passer-by with lasting injuries after a random street attack.

David Norman Appleton had been drinking heavily at Wisbech's Tidman bar at the Rose and Crown Hotel when he struck Aziz Karaoghan on the side of the head.

The "out of the blue" attack left the victim with a perforated eardrum from which he has not yet recovered.

Later Appleton smashed a glass pane with his fist, leaving drops of blood across the property in Nene Quay, Wisbech.

Sentencing the 40-year-old to nine months in jail, suspended for 18 months, Judge Jonathan Haworth said: "You should a lesson that excessive drinking in your case can lead to violence."

Cambridge Crown Court heard how Appleton, of King Street, Sutton Bridge, had been out in Wisbech on October 23 2009.

He had been celebrating his ex-partner's birthday when the two had a row. He had also been thrown out of The Tidman for his unruly behaviour.

In the early hours of October 24 2009 Mr Karaoghan saw a group of people coming towards him in Nene Quay as he munched on food he had bought from a kebab shop.

Prosecutor Sara Walker said: "He then saw the defendant break away from the remainder of the group and run at him.

"Without warning Appleton hit him on his left ear, causing it to bleed."

Mr Karaoghan is said to be still suffering with injuries from the attack today and is being treated at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in King's Lynn.

Judge Haworth also ordered Appleton to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and be under Probation Service supervision for 18 months.

Appleton also has to pay �400 compensation to the victim and replace the broken window pane at a cost of �30. In addition he must pay �250 costs.

At today's hearing, Judge Haworth said: "The heart of the matter is that you got very drunk that night.

"You assaulted a perfectly innocent man walking along the street. What caused you to pick him out will forever be a mystery. It came completely out of the blue.