A THUG who beat up a man as they travelled around York has been jailed for 33 months.

Serhat Sez Altin filmed his attack and told the victim he should “kill himself" before he kills him, said Brooke Morrison, prosecuting.

He punched him repeatedly on the head in a taxi ride from Tostig Avenue in northern Acomb to Nunnery Lane, the court heard.

Then, after the taxi driver told them to get out of the vehicle, Altin continued to hit the victim to the head and filmed him in Blossom Street as the victim slipped in and out of consciousness.

At the time, Altin was on bail for chasing two men out of a block of flats with a meat cleaver and on prison parole from a jail sentence for witness intimidation, York Crown Court heard.

Altin, 24, of Tostig Avenue, Acomb, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, affray and carrying a meat cleaver.

He was banned from contacting the victim under a five-year restraining order and going to a street connected to him for five years.

Victoria Smith Swain, for Altin, said he had mistakenly thought the victim had been sending messages to his partner.

He was remorseful for his crimes and had taken steps to tackle his drug and alcohol issues, she said.

He hoped to work in a takeaway on his release and look after his ailing mother, the lawyer added.

Ms Morrison said the victim now has a permanent cauliflower ear and suffered bruising, swelling and a 2cm cut to his head following the incident on September 24.

Throughout the attack Altin was on bail for a violent incident in Naples House on May 7, 2020, when he and Dean Richard Edwards, 34, chased two men out of the block of flats.

Altin had a meat cleaver and Edwards a chair leg, said Ms Morrison.

They had been attending a birthday party at a flat whose occupants had an ongoing argument with occupants of another flat.

Other residents described hearing shouting during the evening about money owing for drugs.

At midnight two men came to the door of the flat where Altin and Edwards were and the two defendants chased them out of the building, said Ms Morrison.

Edwards, of Lucas Avenue, Clifton, pleaded guilty to affray and carrying an offensive weapon and was jailed for six months.

Both he and Altin were banned from Naples House and from contacting a witness under a five-year restraining order.

Ms Smith Swain and Andrew Semple for Edwards said their clients acted impulsively and had abandoned the chase as soon as they were out of the building and had not used their weapons.

Mr Semple said Edwards had been caught up in something which was not his business.

He had mental health and alcohol problems and a disability to his arm.