A drunken thug launched an unprovoked attack on two men after a seven-hour drinking binge in Herne Bay.

Charlie Cook punched his victims to the ground outside Rodney’s sports bar in North Street.

The 28-year-old admitted the assaults as he appeared at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court, accompanied by his father, town centre councillor Andrew Cook.

The court was told Cook had been drinking since 4pm on Friday, October 23, when he attacked the two men, Clive Skene and Christopher Voysey, shortly before 11pm.

Prosecuting, Julie Farbrace said: “Police took accounts from people at the scene and they said Cook had been inside the pub drinking, then left and acknowledged Voysey, who was known to him.

“Mr Voysey described that Cook had passed him, then turned around and punched him four or six times to the ground.

"I am in quite a lot of pain. I really can’t understand why a stranger would carry out an unprovoked attack on me" - victim Clive Skene

“He then ran a few yards and hit Mr Skene at the back of the head, hitting him to the floor.”

In a victim impact statement read out in court, Mr Skene said the attack had left him fearful of going out.

He said: “I have a very nasty injury from this incident and a cut and swelling to my right eye. It is black with bruising.

“I am in quite a lot of pain. I really can’t understand why a stranger would carry out an unprovoked attack on me.

“I do not want to go out after the incident.”

Martyn Hewett, defending, said Cook, of Station Road, had broken up with his girlfriend earlier in the year and had since moved back in with his parents.

He said: “He is not currently in work and has been involved in a relationship that came to an end earlier this year.

“His life has stalled – he found his relationship ending difficult to cope with and has gone back to living with his parents.

“He went out for the evening and consumed alcohol to excess.

“He started drinking at 4pm with a friend and at the pub consumed a variety of alcoholic drinks, including shots and vodkas. We then had this almost unexplainable behaviour.

“He said he was disgusted and apologised.”

Cook was bailed and will be sentenced after probation reports on Friday.