A man has been given a year-long suspended sentence after he knocked out a stranger in a nightclub after an argument with his girlfriend.
Harvey Greatorex, 20, was in Corporation in Sheffield at 1am on 28 March when he knocked out Ben Stevenson, who had tried to separate the pair, Sheffield Crown Court heard.
Mr Stevenson was punched multiple times in his left eye leaving it swollen and bruised, and he also sustained bruises to the back of his head and jaw.
Michael Cane-Soothill, prosecuting, said the injuries Mr Stevenson sustained had left him temporarily out of work and ‘fed up and isolated’.
He said: “He fell to the floor and cannot remember what happened as he lost consciousness.
“He was unable to drive for several days after the event which impacted his ability to work.”
The dispute started when Greatorex was accused of taking cocaine by his girlfriend, Leonni Preston, and he became aggressive.
Whilst he had not taken the substance, he did drink much more alcohol than his usual limit.
Mr Cane-Soothill said the attack began after Mr Stevenson urged Greatorex to ‘leave it’ to stop the two from arguing.
Mrs Thomsworth, defending, said: “This was 16 seconds of stupidity by this young man.
“He accepts it should never have happened.”
Mr Stevenson went to the Northern General Hospital after the incident, where he was discharged at 8am on 28 March.
After still being in pain a few days later, Mr Stevenson went to the opticians, where a contact lens which was stuck in his left eye had to be removed.
The crime also impacted Greatorex’s mum, a child minder, who was facing issues with her license to work due to living with Greatorex after being charged for the offence.
Greatorex was also ordered to complete 20 days of community service, not drink alcohol for the remainder of the year and pay Mr Stevenson £500 in compensation.
Judge Andrew Menary said: “This was a disgrace, it’s shocking as it was unprovoked violence used by you.
“This was needless drunken violence.”