A man who attacked another man with a baton inside a flat where his victim was sleeping has been jailed.

Piotr Oruba, of Upper Richmond Road West, was jailed at Maidstone Crown Court this week (December 6) after the “nasty unprovoked” assault in Gravesend, northwest Kent.

A jury at his trial found the 29-year-old guilty of one count of wounding with intent following the incident during the early hours of April 9 this year.

The court heard how, at around 2am that day, Oruba went to a flat in Baltic Wharf, Clifton Marine Parade, armed with a baton.

Inside the flat were two women and two men, who were known to him, with a man and a woman sleeping inside a bedroom at the time.

Oruba entered the bedroom and started shouting at the man before he hit him over the head with a baton.

It was after he attacked him several more times that he was pulled away by others inside the flat.

The assailant left the Gravesend flat with one of the women, returning to his home back in London, with the incident later being reported to police.

Three days later, Oruba and a woman contacted the victim, saying they wanted to meet up and apologise for what happened.

During the meeting, the 29-year-old offered to pay him in a bid to not take the incident any further, but then Oruba told the woman he was going to report the victim for trying to extort money from him according to police.

It was after police launched an investigation that the assailant went on the run, during which time he boarded a plane to Poland.

On his return he was met by police officers at the airport before he was taken to a police station in June and subsequently charged.

Oruba was handed a seven-year prison sentence following his trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

Investigation officer Detective Constable Rebecca Ward said: “This was a nasty, unprovoked assault on a man who was sleeping before he was attacked by Oruba.

“The victim sustained a nasty injury to his head, as well as bruising to his body.

“Oruba tried to evade capture and has continued to deny his involvement in the incident.

“I hope this sentencing reminds others of the consequences of such behaviour.”