A young footballer was left with a bleed on the brain after “micky taking banter” between two groups in a Bournemouth kebab shop turned violent.

Josh Riccio was knocked unconscious and left with a broken jaw, lost teeth and minor brain trauma after being punched by Jack Greenham during a drunken brawl, a court heard.

The two young men were part of separate groups asked to leave the takeaway in Bournemouth town centre late on July 2, 2021, due to their rowdy behaviour.

A fight soon erupted in the street after the “banter” had allegedly turned into insults of a racial and sexual nature.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how Greenham, 20 at the time, was on a night out with his girlfriend and their friends when they entered a kebab shop.

Also in the shop was Mr Riccio, a third-year student from Exeter University who was in Bournemouth watching the European Championships with teammates from his football team in Bath.

Bournemouth Echo: The groups had been on nights out in Bournemouth town centre before the incident.The groups had been on nights out in Bournemouth town centre before the incident.

Ellie Fargin, prosecuting, said the groups engaged in “mickey-taking banter-type behaviour” in the shop before being asked to leave.

She said insults were exchanged before playing CCTV footage which showed Greenham have words with a member of Mr Riccio’s group who then pushed the defendant away.

Seconds after, a “melee” ensued with Greenham lashing out at those in front of him before quickly turning and punching Mr Riccio in the face.

The victim fell to the ground unconscious and the fight was broken up.

An impact statement read on behalf of Mr Riccio stated he had spent £1,118 on reconstructive dental work and struggled to sleep for more than a month after the incident due to “extreme pain”.

Amber Athill, mitigating, told the court how comments made by Mr Riccio’s group served as provocation – with sexual and racial insults reportedly directed at Greenham’s girlfriend and friends.

However, there was no evidence Mr Riccio was involved in the insulting, nor did he initiate any kind of physical contact.

Judge Jonathan Fuller KC told Ms Athill: “There’s no evidence to suggest the victim was in any way a problem for [the defendant].

“He was minding his own business looking on and then he gets a wallop. Where’s the self-defence in this particular instance?”

Bournemouth Echo: Bournemouth Crown Court.Bournemouth Crown Court.

Ms Athill replied: “He genuinely believed he didn’t know who was a threat and who was not.

“He acted on impulse, in the moment, he sought to defend himself, his girlfriend and his friends.”

Greenham, 22 and who had no previous convictions, was said to be “ashamed” by the incident.

Ms Athill added: “He wishes more than ever that he had walked away.

“He has his whole life in front of him and can go on to live a life free from crime.”

Sentencing for the offence of GBH, Judge Fuller KC said: “I accept that there was some degree of provocation which resulted from wholly crude remarks addressed to your girlfriend and a suggestion from a member of the group that he wanted to fight you.

“The attack, however, on Mr Riccio was wholly unprovoked.

“Your mistake was deciding to change from peacemaker to aggressor and that’s what you did.”

Greenham was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for one year, along with an unpaid work order and to pay the costs of Mr Riccio’s dental work.

Judge Fuller KC added: “I don’t expect you’ll ever appear in court again.”