A PUBGOER who stamped on the head of a man who attacked him on a night out has walked free from court.

Mark Loughborough was headbutted, punched and slapped by the man before he retaliated.

The 40-year-old knocked the victim to the ground before stamping on his head ‘five or six times’.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the trouble flared The Unicorn when the victim was caught on CCTV squaring up to the defendant before grabbing him by the throat and head butting Loughborough in the face.

Nigel Soppitt, prosecuting, said at this point the defendant reacted to the provocation.

He said: “The victim goes to the floor and the defendant stamps on five or six times and the defendant then walks away leaving the victim on the floor.”

Mr Soppitt said the victim, who had just recently been released from prison, suffered bruising and swelling to the head.

Loughborough, of Temple Square, Cravengate, Richmond, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm from January 26 last year.

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced him to 80 hours unpaid work and a two year community order.

He said: "There was quite excessive provocation and there was a need for you to defend yourself but you did go too far."