A 22-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed for four years after a man was left in a coma.
Thomas Hurley, of Page Furlong, Dorchester, was found guilty during a trial earlier this month of causing grievous bodily harm.
The trial heard Hurley punched Andrew Williams, 36, outside a party in Bridge End, Dorchester, in February. Mr Williams remains in a coma.
Today at Oxford Crown Court, Hurley was sentenced to four years in jail.
Det Sgt Darren Cartwright, who led the investigation, said: "This severe sentence sends out a clear message that violent crime will not be tolerated, whether you are sober or drunk.
"This is a tragic case for both families, and my thoughts are with them at this time. The Williams family have lost the Andrew that they knew, as he has been left in a coma since the assault, and the Hurley family have lost Thomas for the next few years.
"Both families have behaved in a dignified manner and there are no winners in a case of these circumstances."
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