A MAN who committed an "unprovoked, vicious and nasty assault" on a French exchange student in Hereford has been jailed for 34 months.

Charlie Gore, 23, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Hereford Crown Court heard Gore punched 18-year-old French exchange student Maxime Pinon in July of last year on the Castle Green.

Mr Pinon had gone there to meet other French students at around 10pm, when Gore approached him and asked him for the time.

Peter Grice, prosecuting, said when Mr Pinon went to look at his mobile phone Gore punched him in the face, which knocked him backwards.

Gore's friends then joined in and punched and kicked Mr Pinon while he was lying on the floor, before running away.

Mr Pinon had to have an operation to two fractures on his face; one to his eye socket and one to the roof of his nose.

He had been in Hereford for four weeks on work experience and was approaching the end of his stay.

When Gore was arrested he told police he had limited recollection of what happened as he had been smoking cannabis.

In his police interview Gore said he thought Mr Pinon was Spanish and said he was "quite racist" adding: "When it comes to foreigners in general I don't like people coming over into my country."

Michael Aspinall, defending, said although the comments made in the police interview were "abhorrent and ridiculous", it was not a racially aggravated assault as at the time of the offence it was "violence for the sake of violence".

Gore had seven previous convictions from 2007 to 2014, including receiving 28 months at a Young Offender Institution for assault with intent to rob.

During this time in custody, he was offered a place to stay in Hereford and decided to make a fresh start as he had been homeless since 2012.

But he then started to take M-CAT, MDMA and cannabis and to drink.

Mr Aspinall said Gore has a "chaotic life" and has two brothers who were both addicted to class A drugs.

Mr Aspinall said Gore now wants to turn his life around and train to be a chef.

Recorder Martin Jackson said: "It was an unprovoked, vicious and nasty assault on someone that has done no harm to you whatsoever."