A THUG who helped carry out a "chilling, cold blooded and unprovoked" attack on a New Year's Eve reveller was jailed for two years on Monday.

Benjamin Davenport, 21, was arrested after victim Paul Stamper was beaten and kicked senseless as he tried to get a taxi at the cab rank outside Altrincham bus and tram station.

Davenport had been among a gang of four hooligans who targeted 32 year old Mr Stamper after the victim and friends celebrated the start of 2001 at bars in Altrincham town centre.

Davenport's group had been intent on causing trouble having earlier been involved in a series of muggings and they spotted father of three Mr Stamper as he waited for a cab.

The ringleader of the group went up to the victim to say: "You look like the sort of man who would have a wallet", then beat him to the floor.

Davenport and the others joined in the attack raining kicks and punches on Mr Stamper as he lapsed into unconsciousness.

One witness described the group as each kicking the victim ten times, said Simon James, prosecuting, at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester.

Mr Stamper was eventually left lying in a pool of blood and was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital.

He had suffered massive head injuries and was put on a ventilator in intensive care.

But despite the vicious kicking he got, Mr Stamper was discharged from hospital five days later after doctors found he had suffered no lasting physical injury.

Davenport was arrested soon after the attack, carrying four stolen mobile phones, taken during a series of street robberies in the town earlier that night.

Davenport, of Old Meadow Lane, Hale, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He had been on prison licence after being released early from a 21-month jail term for dishonesty crimes.

He later agreed to give a statement to police to assist in the prosecution of the suspected ringleader, a 35-year-old Altrincham man who was charged over the attack but who vanished as he awaited trial.

In his statement Davenport named the missing ringleader and said he had only joined in the attack because he owed money for drugs. He said he would also testify in court against the suspect when he is caught.

Davenport told police: "I would like to apologise to Mr Stamper for what happened. I had to act out of character to protect myself and I didn't intend to cause him harm. I hope that he can forgive me for my part in these matters".

In passing sentence Judge Adrian Smith said Davenport's assistance to the police had won him a considerable reduction in his jail term.

He told him: "The message needs to go out that defendants who are prepared to help bring these people to justice deserve a substantial discount - a considerably lesser sentence than otherwise would have been passed".

But he added: "A chilling and cold blooded attack was made on a wholly innocent man. Whatever the extent of your role, it was a gratuitous, brutal and totally unprovoked attack and the violence used was excessive."

The court heard Mr Stamper had had great difficulty in getting a taxi back to his home in Stretford in the run up to the assault. He had gone to a friend's house to try and book a taxi but went to the cab rank when he couldn't get one.

In mitigation, defending counsel Richard Gray said of Davenport: "He is a young man who has committed a number of relatively petty crimes but on this occasion he really stepped out of his league".