MEMORIES of a vicious knife attack influenced a Swindon man’s reaction to what he regarded as another clubber's threatening behaviour.

Vito Mazzotta was stabbed multiple times four-years-ago by a trio of youth thugs who in 2016 were put away for almost 30 years for the attack.

Now, 22-year-old Mazzotta has found himself in the dock for a punch that broke the jaw of 29-year-old engineer Fraser Martin at town centre bar Boston Brothers. His victim spent three days in hospital and had to have surgery to fix a plate to mend his broken jaw.

Mazzotta, of Brind Close, pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrates’ Court to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

Sentenced at the crown court, he avoided an immediate spell in custody. Giving him 10 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months, Recorder Alexia Power told Mazzotta: “You knowingly inflicted on Mr Martin and his family that assault and you caused them some of the same pain you and your family suffered.

“Have no doubt, this was a very serious offence and you are on a last chance. Do not waste it.”

Prosecuting, Tessa Hingston said Mazzotta and Mr Martin were unknown to each other but had both been drinking at Boston Brothers bar on the evening of November 2, 2018.

Mazzotta believed Mr Martin, who was drunk, had been bothering his girlfriend. At 1.40am, as Mazzotta and his partner were about to leave the club CCTV showed him speaking into Mr Martin’s ear before punching him hard in the face.

In the footage played to the court, Mr Martin could be seen dropping to the floor while Mazzotta left through the front doors. Mr Martin was knocked out and had to be helped to his feet by others in the bar. Security guards managed to stop Mazzotta and photograph his ID, helping police track him down later.

Mr Martin spent three days at the Great Western Hospital and had to undergo surgery to fix his jaw.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, Mr Martin said he had had to change his diet as he now struggled with tough foods. He added: “I don’t go out so much as I don’t want to encounter this sort of violence again.”

Defending, Emma Handslip said Mazzotta’s experience of being jumped by armed thugs had resulted in him misreading the situation at Boston Brothers.

She said her client “has a low level of tolerance – perhaps that others might not have – to what he perceived a threat”.

Mazzotta was said to be remorseful, had an offer of work from a family member, had only one previous conviction and was deemed by the probation service to be at low risk of reoffending.

Under the terms of his suspended sentence order, Mazzotta was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity days. He must pay £1,000 compensation to his victim.