THE parents of a man left brain damaged by a late-night attack have spoken of the tragic and harrowing effects of street violence.

Peter and Pam Blythe were twice told their son, also called Peter, would die.

He spent 19 days in a coma after John Paul Anglesmith punched him once and knocked him to the ground in the early hours of September 18 in York city centre.

Today, their son, who lives York and who turned 28 earlier this month, still cannot work.

The base of his skull was broken, he has difficulty with everyday tasks and faces an increased risk of epilepsy and strokes. His personality has changed.

His 22-year-old attacker, from Peterhill Drive, Clifton, York, walked free from court after admitting causing him grievous bodily harm.

He must do 240 hours' community punishment and pay his victim £3,500 compensation.

York Crown Court, sitting at Leeds, heard that the maximum sentence he could have got would have been 12 months' imprisonment.

Mr Blythe's parents did not comment on the sentence. "He is very lucky it wasn't manslaughter," said Mrs Blythe. "It is the sort of violence on the streets which affects not just the two protagonists, but everyone.

"It has knock-on effects for the families and for their lives.

"That young man has to live with the effects, we have to live with the brain damage Peter has got. There are no winners."

They praised the neurosurgeon and his staff at Hull Royal Infirmary who saved their son's life after he was rushed there shortly after the attack.

"They were absolutely brilliant," the couple said.

The parents disputed court claims that their son, who was a trainee manager at B&Q last September, had made racist remarks to kebab stall staff and to Anglesmith.

"I don't believe he would use those words," said the father. "He cannot answer back in this case. He has no recollections."

Prosecuting, Richard Gioserano told the court that both men had been at the Gallery nightclub. As Anglesmith and two friends of Mediterranean appearance passed a kebab stall in Parliament Street, Mr Blythe was complaining about the food he had bought and making racist comments, said the barrister.

When Mr Blythe walked away, Anglesmith's friends followed him to demand an apology, which they did not get. When he made a comment, Anglesmith punched him once and he fell to the ground in High Ousegate.

For Anglesmith, Geraldine Kelly claimed Mr Blythe made a racist remark. The 22-year-old had spent Christmas under curfew as a bail condition.

The Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, said he took the curfew into account when passing sentence.

He did not jail him because Anglesmith would only spend a short time in prison and Mr Blythe had been "to a very great extent the author of his own misfortune".

Updated: 10:04 Monday, January 17, 2005