A YOUNG man who suffers from Tourettes syndrome shouted homophobic abuse at two women before badly beating one of them up after taking a cocktail of medication and alcohol, magistrates in Swindon heard.

Daniel Jermy, 19, of Nythe Road, pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive words with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress on Christmas Eve. He also pleaded guilty to assault by beating on the same date.

Pauline Lambert, prosecuting, said the victim had left a party at The Tree nightclub at 1.30am on Christmas Eve. She had been drinking but remembered clearly walking past a man while she asked her friend if she was wearing a hat in the middle of the night.

She said the man’s girlfriend walked close to her and pushed her hard. The girlfriend then said she had been headbutted.

The victim said she then felt numerous punches at the back of her head and then in her face. The man then shouted a homophobic remark at her, before punching her hard.

A police officer who had witnessed the incident from a distance then went over and the victim was taken to hospital.

The injuries, two swollen eyes, bruises to her head and back and a chipped tooth, were so bad she had to be kept in overnight.

Miss Lambert said that witnesses outside The Tree said that at about 3.20am they saw the victim walking over to a group of people then saw a man walking aggressively towards her, throwing punches and shouting.

He punched her face twice and 10 to 15 times repeatedly punched her head, at what appeared to be full force.

When interviewed by police Jermy said he had heard a comment about someone’s handbag and a girl came over and headbutted his girlfriend.

Defending, Neil Brooker said Jermy had been minding his own business when a comment was made about a hat or a handbag. The victim had made a deliberate move towards his girlfriend, headbutted her and he had gone to her defence.

He accepts that he threw the punches but claims the victim had called him and his girlfriend “tramps”. He was angry, had recently been prescribed medication for depression and anxiety and had been drinking.

“He thinks the cocktail of medication and alcohol may have had an affect on his behaviour,” Mr Brooker said, adding Jermy accepted he went too far.

Probation officer Jackie Reynolds told the court that Jermy had suffered from depression since leaving school and had been diagnosed with Tourettes syndrome. “He says he is sorry. He had been drinking and didn’t think properly,” she said, adding that he denied the homophobic element completely.

She said Jermy had anger issues and had to learn how best to deal with those and also to talk to the drug rehabilitation people.

The magistrates sentenced him to a 12-month community order, 30 rehabilitation days and 150 hours unpaid work.

Chairman of magistrates Mrs Gibson told Jermy the sentence had been uplifted from the normal level in view of the homophobic element of the offence. He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to his victim and £85 victim surcharge.