A RESIDENT at a Worcester hostel for homeless men suffered a fractured shoulder after being attacked in a car park.

Drunken Peter Blanchard racially abused Bharat Patel before raining kicks and punches on him.

Blanchard, who was also a resident at St Paul's Hostel in Tallow Hill, had difficulty recalling the incident to police because of his alcohol intake, Worcester Crown Court heard.

He pleaded guilty to racially aggravated grievous bodily harm and was jailed for 15 months.

Judge Andrew Geddes said many of the 28-year-old's 57 previous offences were for "drunken and loutish behaviour".

The victim spent three days in hospital recovering.

Both men were in a group drinking alcohol on February 13, said prosecutor Neil Williams.

Blanchard called Mr Patel a derogatory name until another man objected.

That triggered the attack, the victim being pushed onto a wall. He then fell onto the ground where the violence continued.

Abigail Nixon, defending, said the assault was not premeditated and no weapon was used.

She said Banchard, of no fixed address, was dependent on alcohol but couldn't control his temper while under its influence.

Drink had stopped him working for the past two years. He wanted to stop drinking or risked being in and out of prison for the rest of his life.