The “unglamorous” side of a high-achieving rugby player emerged during a drunken late-night confrontation with a group of students, a court heard.

Having bumped into one of the trio of undergraduates as they crossed paths in an alleyway near Durham city centre, at midnight on June 19, last year, Will Jones became involved in a verbal altercation.

Durham Crown Court was told the back-row forward with Darlington National League 1 club Mowden Park, also a former captain of the Wales national under-20 side, began boasting of his achievements and belittling the younger, less-strongly built students.

Liam O’Brien, prosecuting, said as they were about to make their way from the scene one of the students retorted to Jones’ bragging by calling him a, “fat b******d”, to which Jones immediately went to confront him.

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Mr O’Brien said one of the other students then stepped in to try to de-escalate the situation but was forcibly punched in the face by Jones.

Either through the strength of the blow or the fall to the ground, the injured student was rendered unconscious for several minutes, as Jones fled from the scene.

Mr O’Brien said the victim was taken to the hospital suffering a bleed on the brain and multiple facial injuries, including a heavily swollen lower lip and an abrasion to the upper lip.

He was taken from the neuro-surgical unit and advised to remain on a side ward under observation for two days.

The following afternoon he received an apologetic Facebook message from the defendant, asking as to his condition.

Mr O’Brien said Jones told the victim he had no intention of causing him really serious harm, adding: “I just lost my head. Sorry.”

The victim missed studies as he suffered head aches in the aftermath of the incident and was unable to work through the summer months to help pay for his student living expenses.

He was also unable to drive for eight months and was advised not to play sport or perform any intense physical activity in fear of exacerbating the brain injuries.

Mr O’Brien said the previously outgoing student felt fearful of socialising or mixing in crowds in the aftermatch of the incident and has suffered with anxiety.

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The 24-year-old defendant, whose address was given by the court as at Pimlico, Durham, while a post-grad student at the time, denied a charge of inflicting grievous bodily, but, following a week-long trial, was convicted at the court earlier this month.

Mr O’Brien told the sentencing hearing Jones was of previous good character and his reaction to the confrontation was considered, “completely out of character”, adding: “It appears to be one of those cases where it was, ‘alcohol in and wits out’.”

Glenn Gatland, for Jones, described the incident and its repercussions as, “a tragedy for everybody involved."

He told the court: “He did apologise the following day.

"He is highly unlikely to commit any offence in the future.”

Mr Gatland said the defendant, who has a partner and “young family”, has begun a well-paid new job working for a pharmaceutical company.

But Mr Gatland said his HR department would likely view any form of custodial sentence, even if suspended, as a reason to terminate his employment.

Mr Gatland said it may prove preferential to all involved if he was to pay a large sum in compensation to the victim, from his earnings, and perform unpaid work on a Sunday, when he is not working during the week or playing rugby for his club on a Saturday.

Judge James Adkin told Jones that following the apparently accidental collision with the students: “For unknown reasons you couldn’t resist not just moving away.

“You began to abuse the group and you allowed an unglamorous side of your personality to emerge, bragging about your achievements and demeaning those younger boys, punching one in the face.

“This court frequently has to deal with cases of bleeds on the brain with sometimes long-term consequences and even death.

“It’s pure good fortune for you and your victim that is not the case here.”

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But the judge accepted that the behaviour was, “completely out of character”, and imposed a community order with 200-hours’ unpaid work, to be completed within a year.

Jones must also pay his victim £2,000 compensation within 28 days.

Judge Adkin warned him, however: “If we meet again for further offences or, if you haven’t complied with the order, there’s little your barrister can say to keep you from immediate custody.”