A YOUNG man was spared a jail sentence despite punching a man outside a Weymouth nightclub.

At Dorchester Crown Court, James Christopher William Davies, age 20, of Corporation Road, Weymouth, admitted a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Judge Roger Jarvis sentenced Davies to a community order but told him he was ‘close’ to being jailed.

Prosecutor Heather Shimmen said the unprovoked assault against Alex Thornton took place on May 13 outside the 314 nightclub.

She said the 18-year-old victim suffered seizures, a head injury and a fractured skull.

Miss Shimmen said Davies was punching ‘anyone who got in his way’ and hit Mr Thornton who was nothing to do with the altercation.

In mitigation, Timothy Shorter said: “He accepted he struck a blow, not at the defendant, but he accepts he struck a blow. The defendant, having had too much to drink had remonstrated with a group and it came to blows.”

Davies was given an 18-month supervision order, a six-month electronically monitored curfew between 7pm and 7am, a Thinking Skills programme requirement and a £750 compensation order.