A DRUG addict who battered a man and left him for dead in a ferocious back street assault has been jailed for six years.

Today the victim's sister spoke of her relief that the attacker is behind bars -- but said his sentence should have been longer.

Paul 0' Connor thought he had killed victim Thomas Gibson, 49, and paramedics called to tend him as he lay in Bridge Street, Accrington, thought he would die.

Mr Gibson, who suffered a broken neck and a deep cut on the back of his head, was in hospital for two months after the late-night beating in February.

Sentencing at Burnley Crown Court, Judge Barbara Watson told the court the jury had taken 30 minutes to find Paul O'Connor, who had been fuelled by a cocktail of drinks and drugs, guilty and it was clear they did not accept his explanation that he had no memory of what happened.

She said Mr Gibson had suffered dreadful injuries and it was the defendant's good fortune he had survived. The judge, who said she accepted the attack was not premeditated, added such assaults were common, particularly when people were under the influence of drink and drugs.

Paul 0'Connor, 27, of Water Street, Accrington, had earlier been convicted of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. He had denied the allegation and told the jury he had been groped and thought he was going to be raped.

After the case, Mr Gibson's sister Lorraine Bruck said: "It's a miracle and the grace of God that my brother survived. That man could have killed him and his sentence should have reflected that.

"I am relieved that this is over and that he has been locked up, but I would have liked to see him get ten years. I hope he does think about it and learns from it. "

Lorraine, 54, emigrated to Germany with her husband Wilhelm, 27 years ago, but rushed to be at her brother's bedside.

Lorraine and her daughter Caroline, 30, kept a bedside vigil with Thomas for ten days, but for the first three he was in a coma and did not realise they were there.

She said: "He wouldn't hurt anyone. And it was ridiculous for him to say those things about Thomas. He's not homosexual."

Timothy Brennand, defending, said O'Connor's behaviour had been out of character and he had struggled to believe he did what he did.

The barrister said the victim had been making a nuisance of himself in pubs and was intoxicated, but it was not suggested he was stalked, followed or hunted down.

After the case, Detective Sergeant Jim Elston said: "But for the prompt actions of police and paramedics at the scene and the subsequent specialist after care given by the health service Mr Gibson could well have lost his life as a result of this attack.

"Mr O'Conner's brother took the right course of action when he saw that his brother had gone way beyond the bounds of acceptable behaviour and did his duty in giving evidence against him."