DISABLED Adrian Stroud was born with cerebral palsy and tried hard to live a normal life despite his learning difficulties.

So when he met Rodney Brain and his girlfriend Joanne Moriarty he thought he had found two good friends.

But the pair latched on to Mr Stroud, getting him to bring them beer and cigarettes, before Brain lost his temper and lashed out.

Mr Stroud was left with a collapsed lung and two fractured ribs after being punched in the side.

He needed three days of hospital treatment.

Brain, of Mortimer Road, Rose Hill, was jailed for 16 months at Oxford Crown Court on Friday after earlier admitting inflicting grievous bodily harm in the attack on September 6. Under the Government’s early release scheme, he could be out of jail in just eight months.

The 40-year-old victim was “clearly disabled” and had been “latched on to and exploited” by Brain and Miss Moriarty, the court heard.

Claire Tucker, prosecuting, said: “Adrian Stroud is a 40-year-old with cerebral palsy and learning difficulties.

“He lived alone with daily help from care workers. A few months before this incident he was befriended by Joanne Moriarty – the defendant was her partner, but the victim thought he was her brother and knew him as Sid.

“The complainant thought he himself was in a relationship with Miss Moriarty.”

Miss Tucker said Miss Moriarty would ask Mr Stroud “to bring beer and cigarettes” when he went round to her home in Mortimer Road. When the victim arrived on the day of the attack, Miss Moriarty was at home with friend Annette Vincent and Brain, who was asleep.

Miss Tucker said the 33-year-old defendant “woke up in a bad mood” and left the property.

On his return, both women and Mr Stroud attempted to keep Brain out of the property but he managed to get in.

Miss Tucker said: “The complainant, who was sitting on the settee, shouted ‘get out’.

“The defendant went over to him and started punching him really hard to his left side in the rib cage and shouted ‘do you want a piece of me?’”

Mr Stroud rode home on his mobility scooter but did not tell anyone about the attack until the following day when he told his parents he had been knocked off the scooter by a car. He later admitted what had happened.

Sophie Murray, defending, said her client is now clean of drink and drugs for the first time in 12 years.

She said: “He’s 33 years old and doesn’t want to continue committing offences. He expresses his deep remorse for his actions and said he didn’t know he was suffering from cerebral palsy.”

The victim’s mother was allowed to speak from the public gallery and said: “He was born with cerebral palsy. Anybody who would meet him would know straight away.”

Judge Mary Jane Mowat told Brain: “You have committed a very unpleasant assault on somebody who was clearly disabled and vulnerable.”