A DRUNK former soldier fractured a man’s jaw after accusing him of stealing a drink during a night out in Colchester.

Sailasa Verebasaga left his victim on the floor after striking him with one punch outside Fashion Café Bar in the early hours of September 8, 2018.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how the 40-year-old had first become involved in an altercation with the complainant in Walkabout, Head Street, and wrongly accused him of stealing a drink.

Door staff at Fashion Café Bar then had to separate the victim, who was out with family and friends, and Verebasaga when a similar accusation was made later in the night.

Following the disagreement, the man was outside on the phone in St Botolph’s Street when Verebasaga struck him on the jaw, causing it to fracture in two places.

Recorder Paul Sharkey spared Verebasaga an immediate prison sentence earlier today after the latter admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on his victim.

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Orlando Gibbons, prosecuting, said: “Eyewitnesses tell and CCTV shows the defendant approached him and delivered a blow to the side of his head.

“Mr Verebasaga said he saw the victim outside on the phone and thought he was planning to attack him, and the only way he could get away was by punching him.”

Genevieve Moss, mitigating, argued all parties involved were “heavily” drinking and her client was “horrified” when he saw CCTV footage of the incident.

She said: “He was struggling with the transition from the army to civilian life and was diagnosed with depression.

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“He has taken an anger management course and doesn’t feel angry anymore. He did, sadly, utterly misjudge the situation and strike out at the complainant.”

Sentencing Verebasaga, who served as a lance corporal from 2002 to 2014, Recorder Sharkey, said it was a “very significant” blow which caused a serious injury.

He added: “I deem it excessive self-defence. This was out of character and it was clearly an isolated incident.”

Verebasaga was ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation to his victim and was handed a six month prison sentence, suspended for one year.

He must also carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and undertake ten sessions of a rehabilitation activity.