A MAN had his jaw broken after drunken banter on a train exploded into violence.

Matthew Raw punched the victim full in the face as two groups of men got off a train at Northallerton station after a day’s drinking in York.

Prosecutor Shaun Dryden told Teesside Crown Court that there had been “fairly innocuous and friendly banter” between Raw’s group, who were smartly dressed, and the victim’s group.

He said: “They were calling each other toffs and chavs.”

Mr Dryden said that as they walked along the platform the victim was chatting to a man he knew when for no apparent reason he was punched in the face by Raw, who then ran off.

He said: “The injured party did not see the blow coming. The punch was thrown as he was looking to his left.”

Raw, 22, of East Lodge, East Cowton, Northallerton, later caught up with the victim and apologised. The complainant suffered two breaks to his jaw and doctors had to fit a metal plate and brace.

He also lost two stone in weight as a result of a liquid diet and still found it difficult to eat certain types of food months later.

Graham Silvester, for Raw, who admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on October 11 last year, said he could not explain his actions fully.

He said Raw decided to get his retaliation in first after feeling intimidated by a comment he claimed to have overheard.

But Judge John Walford, on viewing the CCTV, took issue with this account and said: “The pictures speak for themselves.”

Mr Silvester said: “It was a moment of madness. He knows he has done wrong and his remorse and sympathy for the victim is genuine.

“Most people make one bad mistake in life and this is his.”

Raw, who had no previous convictions, was given a ten month jail sentence, suspended for two years by Judge Walford.

The judge ordered him to pay £4,000 compensation to the victim – who was in court for the verdict – and £1,200 in court costs. He would also be supervised by the probation service.

Judge Walford told Raw: “If you don’t go to all your appointments and do all of what is expected of you you will go to prison for ten months.

“I hope you have learnt from this unfortunate experience and I never see you in court again.”