A bouncer who kicked at the head of a man outside a bar in east Belfast has avoided being sent to prison.
Curtis Brown, 42, was handed a four-month suspended sentence on Tuesday after pleading guilty to a charge of common assault.
A judge was told he had a “temporary, complete loss of self-control” following 14 years of unblemished work as a doorman.
Brown, who lost his job because of the incident, was also ordered to pay the victim £500 compensation.
Belfast Magistrate’s Court heard he was on duty at the premises close to his Upper Newtownards Road home when a row broke out between a number of men just after midnight on November 18 last year.
Police were informed that at one point the doorman allegedly stamped on the injured party’s head.
According to a witness, however, the victim was also struck with a glass by one of the others involved in the altercation.
He received hospital treatment for injuries which included cuts to the back of his head and bruising.
Brown, who previously served in the British army, was prosecuted for the lesser offence of common assault on the basis that he was responsible for those wounds to the victim.
“It has been made clear that the defendant punched him and either kicked or stamped on his head, but the other males attacked him and inflicted the lion’s share of the injuries,” a Crown lawyer said.
The court was told Brown claimed he was struck first and then punched out at the victim in a bid to free himself while they were on the ground.
Defence barrister Michael Boyd acknowledged: “No gloss is being put on this, there was then a kick in the direction of the injured party’s (head).”
Having viewed footage of the incident, Presiding District Judge Steven Keown stated: “A kick might be the most generous term to put on this.”
Mr Keown was also told Brown had not been involved in the initial row with two other men outside the bar.
“They weren’t employed as door staff to keep the peace. There might be less duty of care on them,” he responded.
The court heard Brown has now lost his licence to work as a doorman.
“It seems this was a temporary complete loss of self-control,” Mr Boyd said.
Citing Brown’s early admission of guilt and previous clear record, the judge decided to suspend the four-month sentence for three years.