The injury caused the man’s brain to swell and bleed and he still suffers residual difficulties such as headaches and dizziness.

His arm was also broken.

Lazarus Grant, 21, was charged with participating in a riot and appeared before the Alice Springs Supreme Court recently.

Justice Stephen Southwood heard that early one evening in January 2007 Grant and some friends walked through the drinking area near Wuppa Camp on their way to Tingkali, prompting an exchange of words between members of the two groups. One member of the offender’s group was hit during the dispute.

Later that night Grant and between 40 and 60 people returned to the Wuppa Camp drinking area to seek revenge.

They were armed with sticks, nulla nullas and iron bars.

The victim walked up to the group and exchanged punches with Grant, inspiring others to punch him and strike him with a nulla nulla.

Grant walked away, returning shortly afterwards with a stick with which he belted the victim.

Other members of the group joined in dragging him towards a fence where they, punched, kicked and jumped on him.

Justice Southwood said the victim was incapable of defending himself against the attack.

“The attack upon the victim was a sustained, cowardly and vicious attack,” he said.

“As a result, he was seriously injured and he suffered from lasting disabilities.”

Defence lawyer, Mark O’Reilly, told the court Grant did not normally engage in violent conduct when affected by alcohol and that the offending was out of character.

He said Grant accepted responsibility for his conduct, was remorseful and had pleaded guilty.

Justice Southwood sentenced Grant to jail for three years.

The sentence was backdated to June to take into account the time he has spent in custody and suspended after three months.

He will be released from prison at the beginning of September.