A drunken 20-year-old nightclubber temporarily blinded a woman in one eye after he lashed out in anger at another man, a court heard.

Neven Kovac, of Gresley Gardens, Ipswich, admitted assault by beating when he appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates Court.

Prosecutor Emma Howson said the incident occurred at Liquid in Cardinal Park between 2.30am and 3am on November 2.

The victim was out with friends and in the smoking area of the club when the assault happened.

Mrs Howson said a fight broke out a couple of feet away and punches were being thrown.

There was a lot of shouting and the woman’s group of friends sat down and tried to ignore the fight.

The next thing the victim knew was that she woke up in the medical room at the club surrounded by paramedics.

The court was told she felt no pain but was confused. She was told she had been punched in the head.

Mrs Howson said there were witnesses who stated Kovac asked a man for a light. He then shouted at the man, before slapping him.

Kovac was calmed down by someone and then became angry, turning and punching the woman with a clenched fist.

She fell to the floor while Kovac kept punching people standing near to him.

Magistrates heard when the victim woke up next morning she could not see properly out of her left eye. Her cheekbone was sore and she had a headache.

When she went to hospital she was told she had sustained optical nerve damage.

She has since made a full recovery.

Kovac told police he had “lost it” with another man after he was tripped up.

He then lashed out at the other man. Kovac remembered being pulled off the man and everyone saying that he had punched a woman.

Kovac had previously been given a caution on January 24, 2013 for actual bodily harm.

He told the court: “I know what I did was wrong. It was accidental. The punch was never intended for the woman who was hit.”

Kovac was ordered to pay the woman £150 compensation, fined £100 and ordered to pay £105 in costs and a victim surcharge.

The chairman of the bench told him it was: “A grand total of £355 owed to the court for your stupidity.”