Moment 'hippy crack' smoking thug prowls street before viciously attacking two men and hijacking innocent motorist's car as he is jailed for six years

A thug who used a laughing gas canister as a weapon during a series of violent attacks in a town centre has been jailed for more than six years.

Lauchlan Pritchard, 25, attacked two strangers with the heavy object before making his getaway by terrorising a takeaway delivery driver and stealing his car.

Pritchard, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, initially approached two men in Maidstone, Kent, in the early hours of May 19 before he repeatedly hit their heads with the large cylinder.

The men tried to flee but he chased after them with the object that is used to consume nitrous oxide.

One of the men fell to the floor and struck his head on the pavement. When he attempted to stand he was beaten again and knocked unconscious.

After Pritchard left the scene, he approached the car of a pizza delivery driver.

He stood in front of the vehicle, forcing it to stop before getting into the passenger seat.

The driver was ordered to head in the direction of Courtenay Road in the town, where Pritchard demanded money and punched him in the face.

The victim managed to escape and tried to take back the car keys but was threatened with the canister, leaving him unable to prevent Pritchard from stealing the car.

It was later located abandoned in a ditch. The canister used in the assaults was also found discarded nearby.

Pritchard was arrested on June 6 after patrols stopped a van on the M20, where he claimed to be someone else and gave a false name.

At Maidstone Crown Court, Pritchard pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating, aggravated vehicle taking, and possessing an offensive weapon.

He was then sentenced on Wednesday to six years and four months imprisonment.

He will be subject to an extended licence period of an additional two years when he is released. He was also banned from driving for five years.

Detective Constable Alice Henham of Kent Police, who led the investigation, said after the sentencing: 'Pritchard was responsible for an utterly senseless and barbaric assault on two men who were simply minding their own business.

'His actions resulted in multiple serious injuries which included one of the victims suffering bleeds to the brain and who continues to endure significant health issues.

'Our investigation provided irrefutable evidence of Pritchard's involvement, leaving him no choice but to plead guilty.

'This included DNA from the scene of the assault, as well as from the car and the canister, along with CCTV images and a photo from a social media account which showed him wearing identical clothing to the suspect.'