A CHARD man who beat up a 14-year-old causing him to partially lose his sense of taste and smell has been sentenced in court.

Joshua Miller, 26, of Beckington Court was driving with his daughter at around 8pm on December 29 last year when he believed he saw the boy urinate and got out to confront him, Taunton Crown Court heard.

The boy had simply been pouring out lemonade from a bottle but Miller proceeded to knock him down and kick him while he was on the floor,the court heard.

"The victim and his friends were quite simply walking along the road towards a friend's house when you pulled up alongside and accused him of urinating in front of your daughter," Judge David Evans said.

"You punched him the shoulder knocking him to the ground, and proceeded to kick him while he lay defenceless. Although you may not have known his age, it must have quite obvious to you that he was a boy," Judge Evans continued.

"Not only did you cause on a considerable physical injury which has affected his sense of taste and smell, you have had an ongoing effect on his mental health too," Judge Evans said.

Judge Evans said it was only down to the hard work and ingenuity of the boy's mother that Miller was traced as the attacker.

Judge Evans acknowledged that Miller had been diagnosed with having an emotionally unstable personality disorder and had been making good progress.

Defending, Harry Ahuja said Miller was 'remorseful for what he had done, but is confident that sort of behaviour is behind him'.

Miller was also sentenced for a second offence he committed on March 12 when he got out of his car on East Street in Chard and attacked a man with a car-jack. The victim, someone Miller had a previous dispute with, managed to block the blow with his forearm preventing a much more serious injury, Judge Evans said.

Miller was sentenced today (Tuesday, October 31) to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years, ordered to engage in a mental health programme and banned from driving for six months.