A soldier's successful Army career was left in ruins when he was jailed for brutally attacking his best friend.
Lance Sergeant James Southall, a highly-regarded sniper commander with the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, was locked up – despite a plea by the Army to keep him.
Southall (34) was on leave when he drunkenly punched his friend unconscious outside a bar in Leicester.
As he lay defenceless on the ground, Southall leaned over and dealt him 10 more blows in rapid succession, before twice stamping on his head.
The victim's facial injuries included a deeply-cut tongue, which needed 19 stitches, and left him permanently scarred.
His face was so swollen his children were too frightened to go near him for two weeks, Leicester Crown Court was told.
Southall, formerly from Leicester, was stationed at barracks in Windsor.
He admitted unlawfully wounding his friend, whom he had known for 15 years, on Saturday, October 13.
The defendant was twice commended for brave actions on tour in Afghanistan, in 2002 and again in 2010.
Major Nigel Overton, HQ company commander, said L/Sgt Southall's skills were valuable and he had been due to return to Afghanistan in the autumn.
The court heard a prison sentence, either suspended or immediate, would result in his dismissal, after 11 years' service.
The major told the court: "His job is to find the enemy and report back, so strike operations can be organised. His role includes covering critical areas on the battlefield.
"It takes six years to get to the standard he's at, with considerable cost to the tax-payer."
Sentencing, Judge Mark Rogers said: "The law applies to everyone, whether they are a civilian or in the armed services.
"The court has to consider the particular stresses and strains of those who support their country, in service life, and that's why this is such a difficult case.
"I cannot avoid the serious nature of this assault. It's a very sad case but I have my duty and have to weigh up all the factors."
Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said the defendant and his friend spent the evening in Leicester city centre drinking in a number of bars.
He said: "It's plain they were drunk and were asked to leave a comedy club, before ending up at the Looking Glass, in Braunstone Gate.
The defendant, married with a daughter, was then joined by a woman he was having an affair with. His friend made his disapproval clear and the pair argued and went outside, where the attack took place.
Carl Gaskell, mitigating, said: "He had no recollection of the event, but when he saw the CCTV footage of it he was utterly ashamed and disgusted.
"He's highly thought of and the Army want to keep him. He faces losing everything."
In a personal impact statement, the victim said the injuries meant the loss of a part-time job at a call centre and interfered with his three-year degree course at De Montfort University.
Mr Murphy said: "He was upset because the person who caused the injury was, at the time, his best friend."
The court heard that Southall had previous convictions.
In 1999 he caused an affray, and assaulted male victims by punching them in 2009 and 2010, all resulting in non-custodial sentences.
