When James* woke up in hospital with a bloodied face and broken nose, the last thing he remembered was leaving the Brunswick Hotel.

"I only vaguely remember leaving the pub, they were closing up and then I remember waking up in the hospital," he said.

In fact, the 42-year-old was so shocked by his injuries he set about trying to reset his nose without assistance.

James was knocked unconscious on Sydney Road in Brunswick about 1am on March 6, and says he was the victim of an unprovoked attack.