A DRUNKEN party goer has been ordered to pay compensation to a fellow drinker whom he attacked after a ‘drink the pub dry’ event.

Kieran Atkins stamped on the face of victim Jordan Morris after a dispute between two groups moved to the pavement outside the Newton Abbot pub.

Everyone involved in the incident was drunk after a cheap drinks promotion to mark the closure of the Market Gate pub in Market Street.

Other people knocked 20-year-old barber Mr Morris to the ground and Atkins then went in and stamped on his face.

Horrified bystanders heard a loud crack as the blow landed and Mr Morris was left screaming in pain on the pavement and later needed a hospital operation to pin and fix a broken jaw.

Courier Atkins, aged 25, of Rowan Close, East Ogwell, Newton Abbot, admitted wounding and was jailed for 16 months, suspended for two years and ordered to do 250 hours unpaid community work and pay £2,500 compensation.

Sentencing at Exeter Crown Court Judge Erik Salomonsen told him: ‘The pub was selling drink at cut prices and everyone was drunk. You were as drunk as the rest.

‘There was an altercation with Mr Morris for which he was as responsible as you were. He was knocked to the ground and you should have left him there and walked away.

‘You did not. Instead, you stamped on his face and broke his jaw. Not surprisingly he is still suffering symptoms both from his jaw which clicks and from panic attacks when he goes out.

’Violence late at night on the streets while drunk is completely unacceptable, as is the use of a shod foot as a weapon.’

The judge said he was suspending the sentence because of Atkins’ good character, genuine remorse, and a favourable probation report which rated him at low risk of reoffending.

Miss Rachel Drake, prosecuting, said the attack happened on the night of February 1 this year after an event at the Market Gate in which drink was sold off cheap because it was closing.

Mr Morris had been asked to leave because of his behaviour but was followed outside by a group of people including Atkins, who stamped on his face.

Miss Drake said: ‘One witness described a cracking noise as the foot hit the face and Mr Morris crying out in pain.’

Mr Martin Salloway, mitigating, said Atkins regretted his action immediately and admitted what he had done to police. He has a job as a courier and is able to pay compensation. He plans to join the Royal Navy as soon as this case is sorted out.