A Whitchurch man assaulted another man in the street fewer than three weeks after being released from prison having served a sentence for an offence of violence, a court heard.
Jake Fox, 26, had lashed out at his latest victim breaking his nose and fracturing his dentures.
At Shrewsbury Crown Court this week Fox was jailed for 34 weeks having admitted assaulting Richard Waines causing him actual bodily harm.
Judge Peter Barrie told Fox it would give him time to make a plan to do better next time on his release.
He said support had been organised for Fox to break a cycle of drug and alcohol addictions, but it had been short-lived.
"Your readiness to resort to violence in any position of difficulty not only leaves pain on the people you assault, but it is also ruining your life," he said.
Fox, of Prees Heath, Whitchurch, was also made subject to a three-year restraining order banning him from contact with Mr Waines.
Sally Cairns, prosecuting, said the incident happened in Cunnery Road, Church Stretton, on November 21 last year.
At the time Fox was staying at the Oakbank Motel after leaving prison and he had an alleged dispute over drugs with the victim.
Ms Cairns said later the pair fell out again prompting Fox to land one devastating punch which did all the damage.
She said that Mr Waines suffered had a broken nose, for which he may require surgery, and his dentures were broken.
The court heard that Fox had previous convictions which included battery, assault, causing grievous bodily harm, assaulting police, robbery and aggravated vehicle taking.
Stephen Scully, for Fox, said it was an unfortunate punch by his client in terms of how it connected.
He said Fox had troubled the courts for a number of years and his client had told him that in custody he had started to become institutionalised.
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