A Scots dad who left a stranger with a fractured eye socket and nerve damage after punching him in the face on a stag do has avoided jail. Scott Carter, from Coatbridge, was in Liverpool with around 24 pals when he came across his victim in the early hours of August 29 last year.

The 32-year-old, who was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol, was in the Black Rabbit bar when fellow pub-goer Aaron Suleman attempted to squeeze past him. CCTV footage of the incident was played at Liverpool Crown Court and showed Carter taking a step back before turning around and punching the stranger in the face in what was described as a 'random attack'.

Judge David Swinnerton told the Scot that while he ‘deserved to go to prison’, he was prepared to hand down a suspended sentence for the one count of causing grievous bodily harm. Carter was also ordered to pay £4,500 in compensation to Mr Suleman plus £500 in costs.

Prosecutor Joanne Cronshaw told the court: “The defendant was standing next to a metal pole on the dancefloor, when Mr Suleman put his hands on Carter to squeeze past him. Carter took offence to this and punched Mr Suleman in the face, causing his head to smash backwards into the metal pole leaving him unconscious on the floor."

Mr Suleman suffered a 2 centimetre gash to the back of his head, bruising and swelling to the face, a fractured eye socket with a deviation of the eye, damage to his teeth and nerve damage in his mouth. He required surgery to his mouth area and dental work, the Liverpool Echo reports.