A TEENAGER who kicked a man in the face as he lay defenceless on the ground has avoided a jail term.

Mandeep Singh, of Field Avenue, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, admitted assault by beating. He appeared at Oxford Crown Court today to be sentenced.

The court heard Singh, 19, had downed a litre of whisky with his girlfriend Simone Andrews shortly before he witnessed an argument in a house in Iffley Road.

Nikki Graham, prosecuting, said Singh joined in a fight and kicked Matthew Dabrowski, 18, twice in the face as he lay on the ground, which left blood on his shoes.

Claire Fraser, defending, told the court Singh had been addressing his drink problem and spent the past five months working at The Gap project in Oxford.

Recorder John Ryder said: “This was utterly despicable. Nothing can justify kicking a defenceless individual in the face twice. It is quite repugnant.”

Singh was handed a 12-month supervision order and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.