A DRUNKEN nightclubber viciously smashed another man in the mouth during a confrontation – breaking his jaw in two places.
The victim's wounds did not stop bleeding for 30 hours, he had to take 46 days off work and he could at first eat only soup and smoothies, a court heard.
His attacker casually strolled off – leaving the victim lying on the ground with "extremely serious injuries", the court was told.
Freddie Thornton, 20, of Forest Way, Humberston, admitted causing grievous bodily harm to Russell Anderson on September 7.
Nigel Clive, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that Karl Evardson, a friend of Thornton, became involved in a violent confrontation with Mr Anderson, 20, near a Cleethorpes nightclub.
Evardson became aggressive and threw four or five punches at Mr Anderson, none of which landed.
A doorman took Evardson away and Thornton walked over to Mr Anderson and "punched him once, squarely in the mouth", causing him to fall to the ground. Thornton walked away and started queuing up to go inside another bar, even though Mr Anderson was in a "remarkably bad way".
He was bleeding from his mouth and his gums were split and bleeding.
He was later transferred to Hull Royal Infirmary, where it was discovered his jaw had been broken in two places. The wounds did not stop bleeding for 30 hours.
He later needed an operation to insert two permanent plates and four bolts in his jaw.
Mr Anderson suffered a severe speech impediment for several weeks and had been in extreme pain. He had been forced to eat only soups and smoothies and had to take 46 days off work.
Katya Saudek, mitigating, said Thornton claimed he got involved because he thought Mr Anderson was going to punch one of his friends after the earlier confrontation. "He completely misjudged the situation and got it completely wrong," she said.
"He had no intention of going looking for trouble. He isn't used to getting in to fights."
Mr Anderson had earlier thrown a piece of pizza in Evardson's face. Thornton was thoroughly ashamed of himself.
Recorder Jonathan Bennett told Thornton: "I can't ignore the huge impact that this single blow has had on the complainant. It has to be custody."
Thornton was locked up for seven months.
At an earlier hearing before Grimsby magistrates, apprentice electrician Evardson, 20, of Woodfield Close, Humberston, admitted assaulting Mr Anderson.
He was given a one-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £85 costs.
