A dad-of-two was left paralysed with half a skull and a 'sunken brain' after a horrific attack on his way home from work.

Steven Augustine, 32, was attacked in New York by Charles Miles who was jailed for only two and a half months.

Miles received a misdemeanour charge after pleading guilty to assault and served just 72 days of his 10 month sentence at Ulster County Jail, according to reports.

Meanwhile, Steven has been in hospital fighting for his life in New Jersey since the incident in May 2018 – and will need further surgery.

He doesn't respond to anything, his mum says, describing him as being in a vegetative state.

A gofundme page set up for his medical treatment says: "Steve's sons will never go fishing with their daddy again.

"They will never feel his arms around them when they get hurt."

It adds: "It wasn't only Steve's life that changed forever. It's all the people who love him whose lives changed forever.

"We have no justice. We have no peace."

The left side of Steven's skull had to be removed after it was shattered during the assault.

Now he needs a special plastic skull to protect his brain as he suffers from sunken brain syndrome – a rare complication after a craniectomy, a procedure to remove part of his skull.

His heartbroken mum Donna told The Sun : "The left side of his head shattered along with multiple skull fractures throughout his head and face, and he has had bleeding on the brain.

“Charles Miles was given a light sentence and I want justice for my son who is fighting every single day for his life."

She described Stephen as a fun-loving guy and said he was always smiling.

Donna added: "He loves his children and family more than anything in the world and to see him now, severely brain damaged, is devastating. I am heartbroken – my son is in a [vegetative] state."

The devastated mum visits her son every day, ABC 7 reports.

Doctors believed Steven's injuries appeared to be from blunt force trauma similar to a baseball bat – but a lawyer claims Miles punched Steven once causing him to fall backwards onto the ground.

Ulster County District Attorney Holley Carnright said since Miles did not intend to cause serious physical harm to Augustine, they could not bring felony assault charges against him.

But Steven's mum still struggles to believe her son's injuries could be a result of just one punch.

She said he has been left only blinking to indicate 'yes' or 'no' and cries when he sees his two sons.

Steven's family are hopeful that vital surgery – funded by a New York government agency – could help save his life.

They continue to fundraise for his medical treatment on a gofundme page. To donate click here.

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