DOORMAN Stefan Sagan was ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work after he snapped and punched a man six times as colleagues attempted to eject him from a Swindon nightclub.

The 33-year-old of Greenwood Grove, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm when he appeared before the town’s magistrates on Wednesday.

Vyvyan Thatcher, prosecuting, said the male victim had been drinking in Rift and was walking along a corridor when he accidentally bumped into a woman. There was an altercation but he walked away.

He was later approached by door staff and told he would have to leave. When he tried to argue his case he was restrained and they began to escort him from the club forcibly.

Mr Thatcher told the bench: “He was taken to the floor and one of the bouncers sat on him and punched him six times in the face.”

He remembered being shouted and sworn at and told to shut up when he tried to reason with them. He then called the police as soon as he got outside.

In a victim impact statement made shortly after the incident the victim said he was in a lot of pain and discomfort and had not been to work since because of his facial injuries.

Mr Thatcher showed the bench a photograph of the victim’s injuries, which included swelling and bruising around the eye socket and nose.

Defence solicitor Emma Thacker said her client could offer no explanation other than that he had snapped.

“He is utterly ashamed at his reaction that evening," she said.

He was an experienced doorman who had been in the industry for seven to eight years and had been praised for his work with the police in the past.

She said he had been dealing with another incident and was returning to his post when he saw three of his colleagues struggling with a man who, he was told, had assaulted a woman.

Sagan went to help them. The victim was swearing and being abusive towards the door staff and spat at him.

He was concerned about other guests in the club because of the time it was taking to get the man out.

“I am sorry to say he snapped,” she said.

“I think it is very fair to say this was out of character for this young man.”

Sagan was suspended from his role as a result of the incident and had since stopped working in the industry.

He had found alternative employment as a lorry driver and his current employers knew about the case, but were happy for him to continue working for them.

The magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work. They also ordered him to pay £75 compensation to the victim, prosecution costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £85.