A DRUNKEN gatecrasher has been locked up after he beat a man at a house party with a metal pole, knocking him unconscious.

Bradley Riley attacked Michael Collins with a pole from a washing line in the garden of a house in Branton Close, South Ham, Basing-stoke, on April 13 this year.

Some witnesses estimated that the 52-year-old victim was unconscious for 20 minutes after the attack, and he later received four stitches to a wound on his chin, Winchester Crown Court heard.

Tammy Mears, prosecuting, said people at the party were celebrating the 50th birthday of Mr Collins’ sister.

By 10.30pm, some of the guests were outside, and they heard Riley, who was not invited to the party, banging on the garden fence.

Riley, 26, was asked to leave but he started to shout and swear, and entered the back garden.

Miss Mears said: “He then picked up what is described as a dirty metal pole, a washing line prop, began to wave it around, and struck the pole into the face of Mr Collins, causing him to bleed straight away.

“Bradley Riley then repeatedly struck blows to the head, shoulders and upper body of Mr Collins while he was on the floor.”

He left after making threats to other party guests. The court heard police officers stopped Riley soon after, but did not arrest him – and he remained at large for four months.

Riley, of Chivers Close, Buckskin, Basing-stoke, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm at a previous hearing and admitted breaching the terms of a suspended sentence he received last year for affray, for threatening people with a samurai sword.

Robert Bolton, defending, said it was not clear from the differing witness accounts just how severe the attack was, but he said the injuries were not the most serious.

He added that Riley had been drinking at the Bowlplex, at Basingstoke Leisure Park, and had gone to the party to see a friend.

Judge Peter Ralls said it was an “unpleasant and unprovoked” attack on “people going about their lawful business”.

He sentenced Riley to 18 months for the unlawful wounding, and six months for the suspended sentence offence of affray, to run consecutively.