A CAGE FIGHTER who broke a man's jaw after attacking him with an umbrella has been jailed after nearly a year on the run.

Sergio Perez was arrested at Heathrow airport after attacking a 32-year-old with an umbrella at Reading station in July 2015.

The 37-year-old fled the country and hid in the Philippines for a year before being arrested upon his return to the UK.

The Filipino was at the station to meet his child along with his ex-girlfriend and her new partner.

Perez's child saw the attack which left the victim with a fractured jaw and bruised ribs.

He was arrested in London the following day, July 25, but was released on bail. The day before his bail was up he boarded a plane to Manila, where he spent nearly a year before returning to the UK.

He has now been jailed for 12 months.

Detective Constable Mat Harvey said: “The level of violence used by Perez at Reading railway station that day was completely over the top and unacceptable – especially in front of a child.

“His attempt to escape justice by fleeing the country was equally unnecessary and he was swiftly arrested and put through the courts on his return to the UK.

“We are satisfied with the sentence handed to him, which we hope is some comfort to his victim who - due to Perez’s selfish and arrogant behaviour - has had to endure a lengthy wait for his attacker to be put behind bars.”

Perez, of no fixed abode, admitted one count of grievous bodily harm and one count of failing to surrender to custody, at Reading Crown Court. He was jailed at the same court on Thursday, September 1. He was given a restraining order and recommended for deportation at the end of his sentence.