A pub thug who fled Britain after a vicious attack with a metal bar was arrested at Luton Airport when he returned to the UK – eight years on.

Wesler Dos Santos, 40, a Brazilian national, appeared at Harrow Crown Court on Friday where he was sentenced to seven years behind bars for assaulting a man with a metal pole in March 2010.

He had pleaded guilty to GBH at the same court on March 2. He also pleaded guilty to failing to appear at an earlier hearing in 2010.

Dos Santos had been drinking at Bar Liha in Harlesden on the evening of March 20, 2010. Soon after midnight the next day, a woman with Dos Santos began to shout abuse at a 51-year-old man.

Dos Santos then approached and threatened to “smash up” the victim.

Fearing for his safety, the victim waited for them to leave before he began the journey, on foot, to his home nearby. At Springwell Avenue he was approached from behind and struck on the back of the head by Dos Santos. He fell to the floor and Dos Santos rained repeated blows to his head and body with a metal pole.

Despite his pleas, Dos Santos continued the attack, telling the victim he was going to kill him. A passing woman intervened and placed herself between Dos Santos and the victim at which point Dos Santos fled the scene.

The victim was taken to a south London hospital where his injuries required stitching at three different places on his head. He also suffered bruising all over his body.

Dos Santos was arrested for the offence later that day – he was charged and bailed to appear at Harrow Crown Court on April 21, 2010, but failed to attend.

Almost eight years later when he re-entered the UK at Luton Airport on February 20, 2018, Dos Santos was arrested for failing to appear at Harrow Crown Court.

He was remanded in custody and entered a guilty plea.

Det Con Azmeen Pinnu of Brent police said: “Today’s sentence clearly demonstrates that arrest warrants do not diminish with time. If someone is wanted for an offence, they will remain wanted until they are apprehended and either placed before the court or eliminated from police enquiries.

“Dos Santos’s attack on the victim was vicious and frenzied. Had a brave member of the public not stepped in the outcome could have been far worse. I very much hope that this sentence brings the victim a measure of closure.”