A London rioter whose hand was left hanging from his wrist after a gang-fuelled axe attack has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Ashley Fagan, 18, became involved in a brawl with a member of a rival gang in Upper Street before being struck with the weapon as he tried to protect his head.

He was in possession of a knife during the rush-hour attack in March, from which his left arm remains in a cast.

Police had believed another man, who turned up in hospital with stab wounds, was the axe attacker – but the case has been discontinued against the suspect as neither he nor Fagan had co-operated with police.

Fagan, of Dawlish Road, Tottenham, pleaded guilty to affray and possession of the knife and was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Blackfriars Crown Court on Tuesday.

Chris Moll, prosecuting, said that Fagan, who had previously been jailed for his role in the riots in 2011, had been walking along Upper Street with his girlfriend when he spotted two other men.

“They started fist fighting in the street and it turned into a one-on-one,” said Mr Moll.

“The other man pulled out an axe and attacked Ashley. He put his arm up to protect his head and the axe struck his left arm.”

Karim Ezzat, defending, said: “Ashley was cowering and being repeatedly struck with an axe. Were it not for him raising his hand, it would have been buried in his head.”