A football thug who beat up a fan of his own team as they returned from a Wembley play-off final, has been jailed for 16 months.

Daniel Aro, 27, of Chieftain Way, Cambridge, was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday, after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing.

The court heard Aro beat his victim, a 22-year-old fellow-Cambridge United fan, so badly the man was knocked unconscious and suffered five fractures to his eye socket.

Aro got into an argument with the victim on a London to Cambridge train as they returned from the play-off final against Gateshead on the evening of Sunday, May 18.

When the victim got up to go to the toilet, he was followed by Aro.

The court was told Aro attacked the man outside the cubicle and continued his assault in the toilet before returning to his seat.

The victim, who was knocked out during the attack, later stumbled from the toilet, bleeding heavily from cuts to his face and intermittently losing consciousness.

Another passenger came to his aid and called police who met the train at Cambridge station.

Aro was arrested on Saturday, May 24, and charged with grievous bodily harm on Tuesday, July 22.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Dean Percival said: “This was an extremely violent attack which left the victim with severe facial injuries.

“He required facial reconstructive surgery, and will have to live with the terrible memory of this attack for the rest of his life.

“Everyone who uses the rail network has the right to do so without fear.

“We are committed to reducing violence and will do everything in our power to bring those responsible to justice.

“I hope this sentence will provide Aro’s victim with some sense of closure, and that Aro will use his time behind bars to reflect on his crime.”