A Harlesden man who attacked two city workers when one of them tried to chat up his friend will spend Christmas in jail.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard Jason Oparaocha, 23, of Nicoll Road, objected when Michael Howe tried to talk to the woman at the 333 night club on Old Street on 20 October this year.

A fight started when the pair ran into one another outside the club with Oparaocha punching Mr Howe to the face, breaking his nose and knocking him unconscious.

He also kicked him hard to the chest as he lay on the floor.

Vishal Kumar, one of Mr Howe’s work colleagues, tried to step in and break up the fight but was floored by a punch from Oparaocha.

Nigerian-born Oparaocha was arrested at the scene and initially claimed he had been acting in self-defence but later pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Oparaocha had received a conviction just three weeks before the incident for criminal damage, the court heard, and was subject to a supervision order and an anger management programme at the time.

Tom Kharrm, for Oparaocha, told the court his client does not have the right to work in this country and cannot pay compensation.

Sentencing him to nine months imprisonment, Judge Timothy Lamb said: “I’ve seen video footage of you did that night, by your plea you accept criminal responsibility for breaking Mr Howe’s nose – fortunately you didn’t inflict any serious injury on Mr Kumar.

“You launched two gratuitous kicks on these two men as they lay on the ground and the first man was almost certainly unconscious.

“To an extent your pleas of guilty is to your credit, but I’m not impressed by your initial prevarication.”