Man left with broken jaw after '˜unprovoked' nightclub attack

But despite the severity of his injury, victim Lakhdeep Dosanjh had to fight to get the Crown Prosecution Service to take up the case after they decided not to prosecute.

His attacker, Jack Harrison was described as showing “a complete absence of remorse,” when he was finally jailed for 12 months by a judge at Warwick Crown Court.

Harrison, 23 of Charles Street, Rugby, pleaded guilty on the day of his trial to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Dosanjh - having originally denied doing so with intent.

Prosecutor Richard McConaghy said Mr Dosanjh was at the Altoria nightclub in Leamington during a family party.

It was around 2am that Mr Dosanjh was attacked while standing near the DJ booth .

Mr McConaghy said: “He had been back in that area for a matter of seconds when he received what he described as two hard punches in very quick succession to the side of his face, and then a third one.

“He didn’t see who it was, but other members of his group did, including his uncle who grabbed the defendant from behind in a bear hug.”

Harrison was held until bouncers arrived and escorted him out of the club, during which he told them: “He deserved it. I’d do it again; I’d hit him again.”

The attacker entered his plea on the basis that he had been involved in a commotion and knocked to the floor – an altercation which had not involved Mr Dosanjh.

Not realising the seriousness of the victim’s injury, the bouncers had simply ejected Harrison from the club.

But Mr Dosanjh had suffered a double fracture to his jaw and had to undergo surgery to have screws inserted.

But the work misaligned, and the footballer, who can no longer play any sport, now faces having it surgically broken and four teeth removed to have his jaw re-set.

The court heard that six weeks after the incident Mr Dosanjh’s cousin was looking on Facebook and saw Harrison’s picture - instantly recognised him as the attacker.

But when questioned by the police, Harrison said he had been involved in an altercation during which he was knocked to the floor, and denied throwing any punches.

Matthew Brook, defending, said the case now dated back two years, partly because of the CPS’s original decision, and Harrison had no convictions before or since then.

Harrison had a good reference from his former tutor at college where he studied to degree level for six years.

Mr Brook said: “His dream had been to join the RAF, which is something he had looked into, but he realises that is now highly unlikely.”

Judge Alan Parker said: “He told a pack of lies, and he maintained those lies until today.

“The Crown Prosecution Service had decided there was no case to answer. But for Mr Dosanjh appealing against the decision, this case would not have been prosecuted.

“Mr Dosanjh, the utterly blameless victim, has almost literally had to fight for justice because for reasons which appear to me to be inexplicable, the CPS decided not to prosecute.”

Jailing Harrison, he said: “He loved playing football in the Sunday league, but he can no longer take part in any sport which may cause injury.

“Your complete absence of remorse is described in words attributed to you at the time.

“The thing that really shames you is that for the last eight or nine months you hid behind the lies in your defence case statement, and you have continued to lie about your involvement until today.”