AN ex-policeman’s son has received a two-year suspended prison sentence for breaking a man’s jaw in two places.

Jonathan Ridler, 18, kicked an acquaintance in the face after trying to put his dog onto him, Philip Standfast, prosecuting, told York Crown Court.

The victim had come home from shopping last June to find another acquaintance Samuel Peter Myers, 20, climbing out of his window with £1,000 of his belongings in a bag as Ridler stood nearby.

Both Myers and Ridler used to visit the Pickering victim whenever it pleased them to take drugs in his home, said Mr Standfast.

Myers, of Vivis Lane, Pickering, who had previous convictions, is now serving 14 months after admitting burglary.

Mr Standfast said Myers had held the victim in a headlock, unsuccessfully demanded money from him and hit him several times before running off without the bag containing the items he had hoped to steal.

Myers’ barrister Laura Addy said he had been under the influence of alcohol and the drug spice.

Ridler, of Castlegate, Pickering, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.

In addition to the two-year prison sentence suspended for two years, he must pay the victim £1,000, do 140 hours’ unpaid work and two years’ supervision.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC told Ridler that kicking someone in the head risked causing them life changing, possibly fatal injuries.

The victim told him in a statement he had needed surgery under a general anaesthetic to insert a metal place into his jaw, couldn’t eat properly for two weeks, was likely to have permanent effects to his mouth and had had to have four teeth removed.

“Those who involved themselves in this kind of violence should expect, as others have today (in a different case at the same court) to go straight to prison,” the judge told Ridler, whom he said had “wriggled and lied” as the authorities brought him to justice.

Ridler’s barrister Chris Dunn said he had been immature and “extremely frightened about going to custody”. He was also remorseful.

The judge said Ridler had been 17 at the time, had no previous convictions and had in the nine months since the attack avoided Myers and others who “lived on the wrong side of the law”.

His father former inspector Garry Ridler had promised to take him in hand and give him the guidance he needed.

Therefore, the judge said, he could suspend the two-year prison sentence.