A SOLDIER who punched a man in a Worcester nightclub so hard that the barman heard a cracking noise has narrowly avoided a term in jail.

Lance Corporal Carl Davis had been drinking at the Velvet Lounge in Angel Place when he launched an unprovoked attack on Adrian Jones, who was out with his fiancée Gemma Rowberry to celebrate their recent engagement. The attack left Mr Jones unconscious for a day and unable to work for two weeks.

Twenty-six-year-old Davis, of Broomhall, Worcester, who is a lance corporal in the Royal School Military Engineering Regiment, admitted the charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he appeared before Worcester magistrates on Tuesday.

Sallie Hewitt, prosecuting, said Davis swore at Mr Jones and was being “off” with him for no obvious reason before the clash happ-ened place at 1.30am on Saturday, August 16, last year.

Mrs Hewitt said: “Adrian didn’t know why the defendant was being like this and even offered to buy him a drink and shake his hand, but he didn’t want it.

“The defendant then punched Adrian with his full force to the head and he fell to the ground. Adrian was knocked unconscious and another witness said he was then repeatedly punched by the defendant.

“The bartender serving Adrian saw the defendant punch Adrian with full force and heard the crack as he hit him.”

Mrs Hewitt said Davis continued to throw punches while Mr Jones was on the floor. Mr Jones suffered a swollen black eye, injuries to his jaw, head, ear and neck and scarring on his chin.

In mitigation, Chris Hilton said Davis, who has served in the Army for five years and had an exemplary record, was before the courts for the first time.

He said he believed there should be a Newton hearing, held to decide the facts of the case, because although Davis accepted he punched Mr Jones, their accounts varied greatly.

Mr Hilton said Mr Jones had taken exception to Davis as Miss Rowberry had previously had a “fling” with one of his friends.

“He had only drunk two or three pints that night,” said Mr Hilton.

“He was not drunk or looking for trouble.”

After a lengthy debate, chairman of the bench Marilyn Stephens said there would not be a Newton hearing because it was a very serious attack in which Davis had struck Mr Jones while on the ground.

Davis was sentenced to 16 weeks in custody, suspended for two years, was excluded from drinking in the Velvet Lounge for two years, and was ordered to pay £1,500 in compensation and £60 in court costs.