This is the thug who left a woman unconscious on the pavement after punching her twice in the face.
Liam Holmes, 20, is today being marched to his local police station by his own mother after the attack outside Faces nightclubs in Gants Hill, Essex, MailOnline can reveal.
The horrifying confrontation took place at around 3am on Saturday and is being treated as GBH by Scotland Yard.
Cathy Holmes, 53, who lives with her Arsenal fan son in east London and used to run a florists called ‘Cathy’s Flowers’, said: ‘People will judge him on the back of that video clip but he’s no terror.
‘I had a brain haemorrhage a while back and he’s been my carer. He hardly goes out anymore and when he does this happens.’
During the nine-second clip the woman approaches Holmes and gets very close to his face as he stands with his arms folded.
Liam Holmes, 18, (left on the night in question) carried out the attack outside Faces nightclubs in Gants Hill, Essex, MailOnline can reveal
During the nine-second clip the woman approaches Holmes and gets very close to his face as he stands with his arms folded, but he lashes out
This punches left the victim unconscious on the floor outside the Essex nightclub at 3am on Saturday
Holmes’ mother has defended her son (pictured) and she says the video looks bad but he was provoked
The pair then exchange inaudible words before he smashes her in the face with his right fist.
Dazed by the punch the woman, wearing a black top and blue jeans, stumbles forward only to be hit again by the man, also in a black top and jeans.
This shot leaves her unconscious on the floor near the Essex nightclub.
The attack is being treated as grievous bodily harm, Metropolitan Police have confirmed to MailOnline.
Mr Holmes, from the Isle of Dogs, was due to give a statement to police this afternoon.
His mother Cathy Holmes told MailOnline: ‘The clip online showing him hitting the girl makes him look bad but that’s only a fraction of the real story.
‘There was a lot that went on before that clip that people don’t know about. There was a lot that preceded it.
‘He wouldn’t do that for no reason. That’s all I’ll say for now because we’re about to meet with our solicitor to go to the police station and give a statement.
‘The police have assured me that they have the full CCTV footage so will know what went on beforehand.’
The pair then exchange inaudible words before he smashes her in the face with his right fist
The attack is being treated as gross bodily harm, Metropolitan Police have confirmed to MailOnline
Onlookers are heard to be saying ‘oh my god’ and gasping in shock as the camera cuts to a disturbing image of the woman lying face-up and motionless with her arms spread eagle
Onlookers are heard to be saying ‘oh my god’ and gasping in shock as the camera cuts to a disturbing image of the woman lying face-up and motionless with her arms spread eagle.
The victim was taken to hospital for treatment following the attack.
The video has since been widely shared online, including by Paul Henson on Facebook.
He wrote: ‘Another little coward s*** bag outside Faces this weekend! Share this round hope he gets what’s due to him!’
The video, posted today quickly gained more than 10,000 views and over 500 shares.
Lucy Gallop wrote: ‘That is awful.’
Janet Jolley said: ‘What a hard man!! I don’t think. I hope he gets what’s deserves, hope the young lady is OK.’
Roice Gummer added: ‘He’s a f****** scum bag who needs his head caving in and I really feel for her.
‘But girls, if a bloke starts swinging – get the fu*k out of there!’
A Metropolitan police spokesman told MailOnline: ‘Police in Redbridge are investigating after a woman was assaulted outside Faces nightclub on Cranbrook Road, IG2.
‘The incident took place at approximately 03:00hrs on Saturday, 28 July. ‘The victim was taken to hospital for treatment. The incident is being treated as GBH. No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.’