A man who "effectively ended" another man's life with injuries he received after he fell and banged his head during a fight has failed to convince judges his jail term was too harsh.

Andrew Williams' injuries were so severe he now faces the rest of his life in a vegetative state, the Court of Appeal in London heard today.

Thomas Hurley, 23, of Grove Road, Portland, Dorset, but formerly of Dorchester, south Oxfordshire, was convicted at Oxford Crown Court in May of inflicting grievous bodily harm and jailed for four years.

Hurley claimed Mr Williams, a labourer from Didcot, threw a punch at him and he only punched him back in self-defence after a row broke out between the pair in February last year.

The court heard that Mr Williams, 35 at the time, and his wife, Susan, had argued at a friend's party and Mr Williams was asked to leave. But Hurley followed Mr Williams outside and a witness heard him say "men who attack women and children deserve to be locked up".

During the fight, Hurley punched Mr Williams "four or five times", causing him to fall backwards, hit his head on a log and fracture his skull and eye socket.

Hurley's barrister, Nigel Daly, told Lord Justice Hooper, Mr Justice Nelson and Mr Justice Maddison that a four-year jail term was too severe, considering Hurley's youth and the fact the blows themselves did not cause any "significant injury".

But Mr Justice Nelson said: "In our judgement, the judge was entitled to conclude the force used in the attack by Hurley was grossly excessive.

"There is no evidence that Hurley was struck or injured in any way himself.

“The devastating injuries caused to Mr Williams were caused directly by the assault."