A SOLDIER who punched a woman in a nightclub has been given another chance by a judge.

Gerald Baptiste, of the Colchester-based 7th Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery, left Rachel Walker unconscious and with bruising and a cut to her face after he hit her in the town’s Liquid/Envy nightclub.

At Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday, the 29-year-old admitted a charge assault causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Charles Gratwicke described his behaviour as “quite disgraceful” and sentenced him to 100 hours unpaid work and ordered him to pay £750 compensation and £1,000 costs.

But he stopped short of handing him a prison sentence, saying the attack was totally out of character.

The court heard Miss Walker had been on the dancefloor in the early hours of September 26 and felt someone grab her bottom.

Lesli Sternberg, prosecuting, said: “She turned around and saw the defendant, who appeared to be laughing and leering at her. She told him to go away but within seconds felt another grab at her bottom, and he was standing about a foot away from her face laughing.

“She pushed him away and he immediately punched her to the left eye, which knocked her to the ground.”

Louise Wilson, mitigating, said Baptiste had reacted to the push and could not explain it.

Major David Blackburn said that Baptiste, who served in Afghanistan in 2008 and is due to return later this year, was “an exceptional soldier”.