STUDENT suffered fractured cheek bone when he was attacked in the toilets of a bar.

The victim was punched to the face four times when Jay McGeeney launched the violent assault in Middlesbrough's Medicine Bar in January 2019.

Teesside Crown Court heard how trouble flared following a dispute between the pair's friends.

Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said the victim blamed the attack for him failing his final year exams while studying at Teesside University resulting him paying £9,000 to resit the year.

In a victim impact statement, the student said he was now 'scared' to go into the town centre on a night out.

McGeeney, of Amesbury Crescent, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm following the attack.

Michele Turner, in mitigation, her client had recently started work in the oil and gas industry after completing his studies and urged the judge to spare the 21-year-old from custody to enable to continue working in Aberdeen.

Judge Paul Watson QC said: "From what I have read, you have a good future ahead of you and I am not going to take future away from you because of one idiotic moment some two-and-a-half years ago."

McGeeney, was given an eight month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £2,500 in compensation to the victim.

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