AN Austin Powers fan who became "the spy who bashed me" after head-butting a woman while mimicking the movie character narrowly escaped jail yesterday.

Keith Sheardown, 22, was cleared of indecent assault after he was accused of groping and biting a woman's bum at a fancy dress party.

But he was found guilty of assault after he broke another woman's nose in a vicious nightclub attack while celebrating his 21st birthday.

Yesterday, he walked free from Newcastle Crown Court facing 240 hours of community service and having to pay his victim £2,500 compensation.

The court had heard girls at the Ikon nightclub in Newcastle were shocked by his behaviour and 22-year-old Christine McNinley, was left with a broken nose from the attack.

Sheardown donned the dark wig, black rimmed glasses, false teeth, white frilled shirt and blue velvet jacket and headed straight for a group of young girls on the nightclub dancefloor.

Miss McNinley told the court how she watched Sheardown touching up girls and pestering them with the barmy behaviour before he turned his attentions to her.

She said: "He looked just like Austin Powers. He was trying to lift up girls' skirts and I saw him bend down and bite two girls on the bum.

"As I left the dance floor I felt someone kick me from behind and when I turned around Austin Powers was standing there grinning and smirking."

She said: "He came over and I asked him why he kicked me. He said it wasn't a kick it was a slap. I slapped him lightly on the face to demonstrate what a slap was.

"It was then he drew his head back and butted me in the nose."

Fast food restaurant manager Miss McNinley was taken to Newcastle General Hospital and received treatment for a broken nose.

Sheardown, of Killowen Street, Low Fell, Gateshead, was found guilty of causing actual bodily harm. He was ordered to pay £1,000 costs