A "TALENTED" Bourne-mouth University student who left another man scarred after a nightclub attack has escaped a jail sentence.

Mevlan Eminaj, 23, of Capstone Road, Charminster, admitted causing actual bodily harm to Christopher Rankin at Censo in Hinton Road, Bournemouth, on April 23 last year.

Prosecuting at Bournemouth Crown Court, Richard Ferry-Swainson said Eminaj had been under the influence of alcohol when he "caused mayhem on the dance floor".

He said Eminaj had bumped into his victim on a number of occasions and Mr Rankin had stood his ground. "Shortly afterwards he was punched once in the face, suffering cuts consistent with a glass being broken or having glass in his face. Paramedics had to remove slivers from his face," he said. The injuries had left scars.

Defending, Paul Hester said his client "accepted misbehaving on the dance floor and causing a nuisance".

"It was not a glassing' but he accepts that he did cause the injuries," added Mr Hester, who handed in "glowing" references to the court, including one from a university professor and another from Eminaj's course tutor.

He stressed that Eminaj was "extremely remorseful for this piece of idiotic stupidity".

He added: "He came to England from Kosovo at the age of 14, speaking no English. Nine years later he has a place to do his masters at the university this autumn. He also does voluntary work for other refugees."

Recorder Richard Scarratt told Eminaj: "Mr Rankin will live with the memory of that night every day and has scars to remind him. It was unprovoked and gratuitous.

"People are entitled to go to nightclubs and pubs without people like you being violent.

"I have thought long and hard about sending you to prison but I'm going to take what some might consider a lenient course and treat this as a one-off stupid event."

Eminaj was ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work, observe a three-month curfew on Friday and Saturday nights and pay his victim £300 compensation.