A 19-YEAR-OLD has been jailed for 10 months after he fractured the cheek of a man he subjected to homophobic abuse.

Ledio Koci, of Kestrel Close, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Ricky Eastwood on July 6.

Yesterday, prosecutor Andrew Morgan at Oxford Crown Court said the attack happened in Cowley Road as his victim walked home from a carnival with friends, two of who were homosexual.

He said Koci approached Mr Eastwood, who is heterosexual, shouted “gayboy” and asked “are you gay?” to which his victim said: “So what?”

The barrister said a confrontation followed, and after it had ended Koci circled round behind Mr Eastwood who was “blindsided” by a punch to his left cheek.

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Mr Morgan said this punch caused three cheek fractures and required surgery.

The prosecutor said it accepted Koci’s claim that it was not the victim’s perceived sexuality that motivated the assault.

Instead Koci claimed he thought Mr Eastwood had assaulted him earlier.

Jane Malcolm, defending, said: “He wasn’t punching Mr Eastwood because he perceived him to be gay.

“He accepts he had absolutely no reason apart from revenge to go back and hit him later.”

Recorder Simon Blackford said he regarded the remark Koci made to his victim as “very offensive”

He added that the attack was “motivated by or demonstrating hostility to the victim based on perceived sexual orientation”.

Koci will pay a £100 victims’ surcharge.