A SOUTHAMPTON man has been jailed for 18 months after leaving a shop worker with a fractured jaw.

Thomas Munnoch savagely attacked a security guard at the Poundland branch in Above Bar Street.

Southampton Crown Court heard on Tuesday how the 25-year-old viciously swung at the shop worker.

Two of his punches landed, leaving the victim with fractures in three places.

Munnoch, of Hightown Towers, in Warburton Road, then flung a yellow floor sign at the guard before swinging another punch which missed.

He then walked off down the road.

Munnoch had been suspected of shoplifting and escorted off the shop premises during the attack, which happened on April 24, 2018.

Munnoch is said to have goaded the security guard and tried to start a fight, shouting “Come on then”.

His victim was later rushed to A&E and needed surgery to fit plates in his jaw.

In a victim statement, he said how he had been left with life-long and permanent injuries.

His teeth are now misaligned and he tries to avoid Southampton following his ordeal.

Furthermore, due to the damage to his jaw, he has medical problems which have impacted his relationship.

Munnoch has 26 previous convictions to his name which include shoplifting, criminal damage and the production of cannabis.

He finally pleaded guilty on the day of his trial - March 9 this year.

Judge Rowland deemed the incident extremely serious and sentenced Munnoch to 18 months in prison.

Munnoch was previously jailed for attacking a teenage girl and biting a passenger on a Southampton bus in November 2018.

As reported by the Echo, CCTV footage showed him tipping beer over a 16-year-old girl and then throwing her to the floor, leaving her with a graze on her hand.

When passengers rushed to help her Munnoch bit a man near his rib cage.