Astin Chadwick (22) spared jail over punching aspiring DJ unconscious outside Six Bells pub in Lymington

AN aspiring DJ had his career jeopardised and was put at risk of developing epilepsy after being punched to the floor by a New Milton thug, a court heard.

Astin Chadwick (22), of Drake Close, attacked Gareth Davies outside the Six Bells pub in Lymington one night in October last year, causing the victim a bleed on the brain and a fractured skull, Southampton Crown Court heard.

However, he was spared jail by Judge Christopher Parker as the prosecution conceded it could not prove suspicions that Chadwick was wearing a knuckleduster when he struck Mr Davies.

Prosecutor Gemma Noble said Mr Davies was with friends in the Six Bells on St Thomas Street when Chadwick entered with a group.

Members of the gatherings knew each other from school and had an ongoing dislike, she outlined.

At one point Mr Davies went to the bar and was approached and spoken to by Chadwick. When Mr Davies left the pub he was followed by Chadwick and punched.

Ms Noble described how Mr Davies was knocked out for 10 seconds, and when he regained consciousness was sick and “his eyes were rolling in his head”.

He was rushed to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital and later transferred to Poole for X-rays and CT scans.

Medics discovered he had a bleed on the brain and a fracture to the skull, Ms Noble said, with his condition described as “serious but non-life-threatening”.

But he later suffered seizures at home, the court heard, and had to be rushed to Southampton General Hospital for more treatment after scans showed brain swelling.

The injuries Mr Davies suffered, Ms Noble explained, left him with memory loss and he continues to suffer problems writing, typing and speaking, which have hampered his studies.

He is studying at college, has aspirations of becoming a DJ and has secured a residency at a Southampton nightclub. However, medics have told him to avoid listening to loud music and also said he has a “one in six chance” of developing epilepsy.

She read to the court a victim impact statement in which Mr Davies said he was “determined” to continue to be a DJ, but he felt “scared” going out and avoided New Milton in case he bumped into Chadwick.

The bleed on the brain “caused my emotions to be badly affected”, he added, and had been forced to give up his job as a lifeguard.

Chadwick pleaded guilty to a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent at an earlier hearing.

Defence barrister David Freeland outlined his client’s “remorse” and “shame” over what he had done, saying he was a builder by trade who had “learned his lesson”, limited his drinking to special occasions and “came from a loving family”.

He also handed in a raft of positive character references.

Sentencing, Judge Parker told Chadwick: “It’s lucky for you and lucky for Mr Davies that he wasn’t killed.”

He suspended the 15-month prison term for a year, handing Chadwick a four-month curfew order between 8pm and 6am and 200 hours of unpaid work. He also told him to pay Mr Davies £1,500 compensation.

“You are young. You need to grow up,” the judge added. “Be in no doubt you have had the closest shave you need to have in this court.”