A 46-year-old Weston man has been jailed for 24 years after smashing a man’s face with a hammer and cutting two others with a knife.

Paul Ashe, of George Street, attacked the 53-year-old man in Alexandra Parade in April last year, leaving him with 'catastrophic injuries' including a fractured cheekbone and eye socket and broken nose.

The victim has undergone several operations since the attack and needed metal tubing in his nose to enable him to breathe.

He still suffers headaches and dizziness and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

While on bail for this offence, Ashe was involved in a second attack on a 21-year-old and 17-year-old in the town centre on December 2 at 4.20am.

Ashe took out a hunting knife after a minor altercation and began 'slashing it around' leaving the 21-year-old with a chest wound which required 32 stitches, along with cuts to his neck and leg.

The 17-year-old suffered a cut to the face, which also needed hospital treatment.

A jury found Ashe guilty of two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) and one of possessing a knife.

Judge Horton, said Ashe posed a significant risk to members of the public, while sentencing the criminal at Bristol Crown Court on Friday.

He said: "I would be perfectly entitled to impose upon you a discretionary life sentence.

"You carry weapons as part of an entitlement to self defence. There was no self defence in this case.

"Uncontrollable violence and possession of weapons have marked your behaviour to members of the public."

Ashe carried out the first attack outside a pub after his dog bit another owner's pet.

The dog owner came back to talk to Ashe, who picked up a hammer he was carrying in his bag and swung it in his face.

Judge Horton said: "You smashed into small pieces his nose, eye sockets and his cheekbone.

"You've taken away from him his physical fitness, financial life running his own company, his feeling of security and have given him PTSD."

Ashe had a string of previous prosecutions for violence and possession of a weapon dating back to 1989.

He will serve at least 16 years.

DC Richard Grierson said police and courts will not tolerate 'such horrific violence on our streets'.