Army recruit knocked out Mansfield reveller and stamped on his stomach outside town centre nightclub

CCTV showed Liam McDonagh launching the attack outside the Lexis Nightclub, on Clumber Street, on March 14, 2020, at about 4am.

Stuart Pattinson, prosecuting at Nottingham Crown Court, said 20-year-old McDonagh stamped on his unconscious victim's stomach three times before other people could intervene to stop him.

His victim woke up in an ambulance where paramedics told him he would need a scan and he spent four hours in hospital.

He was left with a wound inside his left cheek, a bump and cut on the back of his head and a red mark on his left cheek.

The court heard McDonagh's friend was cautioned for common assault after punching the man first.

When McDonagh was shown the CCTV footage, he maintained he was acting in self-defence until he saw himself stamping.

The court heard he has no previous convictions.

McDonagh, of Beachley Barracks, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Remorseful

Jeffrey Israel, mitigating, said: “He turns 21 in a few days. He was a few days beyond his 19th birthday at the time. He entered the Army in February 2020, four weeks prior.

“This was the first time he had gone out to socialise with his friend.”

The court heard McDonagh and his pal began drinking at 9pm and went to three pubs before the club.

Mr Israel said: “Since this incident, he has significantly decreased his alcohol intake.

“He is not someone who is dependent on alcohol. He is clearly remorseful and wants to put this behind him.”

Judge Steven Coupland said: “If it had been dealt with two years ago it would have crossed the custody threshold but he has been out of trouble since.”

He told McDonagh: “You have left yourself down, your family down and the Army down. You should be ashamed of yourself.

“You're fortunate he wasn't seriously injured.”

The judge said McDonagh's job was ‘important work, but please don’t think it's a get-out-of-jail-free card. It isn't’.

McDonagh was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £1,000 compensation and £670 costs.

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