A ground worker has been ordered to pay compensation to a friend who he attacked in an argument about the barmaid at the Dog and Duck, an Exeter court has heard.
Scott Twaites took exception to comments which fellow drinker Michael Parker made to the barmaid and attacked him as they were leaving the pub.
The victim was left with a broken cheek and eye socket after being punched to the ground and hit about the face as other customers tried to drag Twaites away.
Twaites, aged 23, of Haldon Rise, Newton Abbot, admitted causing grievous bodily harm and was jailed for nine months, suspended for two years, ordered to do 120 hours unpaid community work, curfewed for two months and ordered to pay £1,000 compensation by Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, at Exeter Crown Court.
He told him: "This was drunken violence. For no reason whatever you carried out a sustained and violent attack and punched the victim repeatedly.
"You are no stranger to the courts although your previous offences of violence were when you were a very young man. You don't need me to tell you this offence deserves a prison sentence but I am just persuaded to suspend it.
"There is no reason why you should not pay compensation to the victim. You are fortunate not to be going to prison."
Mr Piers Norsworthy, prosecuting, said Twaites and Mr Parker had both been drinking in the Dog and Duck in Babbacombe, Torquay and the attack happened outside.
He said:"There was a discussion between them which resulted in Twaites throwing a punch which connected with his nose and caused him to fall to the ground.
"He continued to punch him in a sustained attack until he was dragged away by two females."
The victim suffered a broken cheek and eye socket and needed an operation to repair the damage. Both Twaites and the victim said they were too drunk to remember anything about the attack.
Mr Paul Dentith, defending, said there had been tension between the two men in the Dog and Duck because of comments Mr Parker made about Twaites girlfriend and remarks he made to the barmaid.
He said:"It seems the defendant was upset at the time and Mr Parker apologised because his behaviour towards the barmaid was inappropriate and drunken.
"He is now doing ground work through an agency but has the possibility of a permanent job and is a position to pay compensation."
