A 21-year-old has avoided time behind bars after knocking a man unconscious with a single blow outside a Sedgley wine bar.

Judge Amjad Nawaz told Reece Nightingale he had dealt with many cases in the past where one punch had “led to catastrophic consequences.”

The judge added at Wolverhampton Crown Court: “A moment of anger can lead to a lifetime of regret.”

Nightingale reacted badly after a comment was made by David Brookes in the incident outside Monty’s Wine Bar and he was full of remorse for his actions, said Heidi Kubik defending.

She said Nightingale handed himself in to police afterwards as she stressed “something clearly must have happened” for a man of previous good character to behave in that way.

“It was a single incident and a single punch has cost him his good character.”

David Bennett prosecuting said Mr Brookes fell back and struck his head on the floor after the punch and he sustained cuts to both lips that had to be stitched together with a broken tooth.

In a victim impact statement Mr Brookes later told police officers he had been left “shaking” by the incident and he was now fearful about going out at night.

The judge told Nightingale it was clear he had tried to calm down a verbal confrontation between a friend and Mr Brookes and he had not been directly involved in the problem.

But when a comment was made he struck Mr Brookes a heavy blow in the mouth and he fell to the ground. “I accept something must have been said for you to act in that way.”

Nightingale, of Arthur Road, Tipton, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and he was given a 20 month jail term, suspended for two years.

He was further placed on supervision for two years, told to carry out 100 hours unpaid work in the community and to pay £1,200 costs.