A woman was “collateral damage” in a punch aimed at another man by a clubber.

A judge at Swindon Magistrates’ Court ordered reveller Daniel Jermy, 23, pay £200 compensation to his female victim – who it was said had developed post-traumatic stress following the assault.

District Judge Joanna Dickens said: “That’s nowhere near what’s deserved. At least it might enable her to have a treat of some kind or do something nice with that money.”

Prosecutor Nick Barr earlier told the court Jermy was at The Edge nightclub on August 16 last year with his friend Ciaran Fennell.

At around 2.30am the pair had walked past another man and shouted something in his ear. The other man swore at them, telling the men to go away.

Jermy put his hands around the man’s neck while Fennell headbutted him.

A little while later, when the victim was with his girlfriend and another woman, his two attackers returned. Jermy threw a punch, connecting with his earlier victim and the woman standing next to him.

The man managed to escape and left the club, but was chased by Jermy.

The male victim was left with a black eye, while the woman had a red mark on her cheek.

The woman had suffered emotionally as a result of the incident. In a victim personal statement read to the court by Mr Barr she described becoming more withdrawn. “I just kept playing the incident over in my mind.”

She added: “I describe myself as a confident, chatty person; since the incident I hide myself away a lot now.”

Jermy, of Nythe Road, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and assault by beating. The court heard he had a number of previous convictions, including for violence.

Luke Jameson, defending, said his client – who has Tourette’s - was very scared of being sent to prison and would comply with any condition probation imposed upon him. He was hoping to gain GCSEs in maths and English.

Sentencing Jermy to an 18 month community order, the judge said: “Clearly, it was a very serious incident for a number of reasons. One, because it was wholly unprovoked. It was a situation where you and your friend did carry out quite a vicious attack on this man.

“The female victim got in the way and to some extent she was collateral damage. Realistically, I don’t think you targeted her at all.

“Clearly it must have been very frightening for her.”

The judge recognised Jermy was trying to move on with his life.

He must complete 30 rehabilitation activity days under the community order. Asked to pay £200 compensation to his female victim and £100 to the man, Jermy readily agreed. “They deserve it,” he said.

Last month, magistrates ordered that Jermy’s co-defendant Ciaran Fennell, who only faced a single count of battery, pay £150 compensation.