AN offensive comment made by a nightclub reveller about another customer’s girlfriend led to an assault after both were ejected from the premises, a court heard.

Stuart Softly made the comment in the smoking area at Vibe, in Peterlee, implying that the other man’s partner had slept with, “everyone in Sunderland”.

Durham Crown Court heard that when confronted and asked about his comment, Softly denied having said anything.

It led to pushing and shoving between the pair which resulted in both being thrown out of the town centre club, by separate exits.

But, Softly sought out the other man outside and, while apparently wanting to calmly discuss the situation, without warning he landed two punches to the face of the unsuspecting victim.

Stuart Graham, prosecuting, said the other man fell to the ground and was briefly unconscious.

The court heard that he lost a front tooth, while two others were displaced, and he also suffered a gash to the back of the head and a cut lip.

Mr Graham said he underwent facial surgery and has required lengthy dental surgery, running up a mounting bill, with further work required, 18 months after the attack.

In the aftermath of the incident, as it was still under police investigation, Softly’s partner, Ashleigh Louise Neck, sent an email to the victim’s brother telling him: “There must be another way of dealing with it”.

When told it was nothing to do with him or his brother, and they did not want to get involved, she sent a further message saying: “There’s nothing worse than a grass, no better than a thief or a paedo.”

Softly and Neck, both previously of Woodland Avenue, Horden, now of Balliol Close, Peterlee, were each subsequently charged.

Twenty-seven-year-old Neck admitted doing acts tending and with intent to pervert the course of justice.

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said the young mother acted misguidedly fearing that Softly may be at risk of prison.

She was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with 100-hours’ unpaid work.

Softly, 25, who admitted assault causing actual bodily harm on the day of his scheduled trial, was given a 15-month sentence, suspended for two years, with 250-hours’ unpaid work.

Judge Jonathan Carroll said Softly’s remark, sparking the incident, was, “gratuitously offensive”.

He also ordered Softly to pay £5,468 compensation for the victim’s loss of earnings and for the dental treatment.