A CLUBBER felled with one punch the man he thought was harassing his girlfriend.

Vito Mazzotta will be sentenced by a crown court judge after Swindon magistrates deemed their powers of punishment insufficient to deal with him.

The 22-year-old, of Brind Close, Covingham, admitted a charge of assault by grievous bodily harm, following the attack outside town centre bar Boston Brothers on November 3, 2018.

Nick Barr, prosecuting, said CCTV had picked up two men, Mazzotta and Fraser Martin, engaged in what he described as an animated conversation.

They appeared to be shouting directly into each others’ ears, the solicitor said.

Mazzotta took hold of Mr Martin’s neck before felling him with a punch: “He fell straight to the floor and appears to be unconscious.”

The assault had left Mr Martin with a fractured jaw, requiring a three night stay in hospital and two weeks off work. Surgeons fitted a plate and four screws to fix the broken bone.

The defendant left the club, but not before door staff were able to snap a picture of his identification.

Interviewed by police in January, Mazzotta said he felt the complainant had been bothering his girlfriend.

Smartly dressed Mazzotta thanked magistrates as they informed him the case would be adjourned to next month.

He was bailed to appear before Swindon Crown Court on October 18 for a sentencing hearing.

In 2015, Mazzotta was the victim of a sickening attack, which attracted significant interest at the time.

The young man, then aged just 18, almost died when a group of three men aged 19 and 20 repeatedly stabbed him in a frenzied assault. One of the attackers told their victim: “I hope you die.”

The following summer, Raffaele Bretti, 20, of Wharf Road, Daniel Peapell, 21, of Trowbridge Close, and Zak Doyle, 19, of Abbeymeads, all pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent at Bristol Crown Court.

The trio was jailed for a total of almost 30 years for their part in the brutal attack. Justice Juliet May told the men: “You have said you armed yourself in response to provocation but I believe adrenaline was also a factor.

“By the time of the attack he was alone, left facing all three of you and you took full advantage. One witness speaks of him being kicked in the head like a football.”