A MAN who suffered a broken jaw after being punched in a seaside nightclub was left in “unbearable” pain after having his mouth wired up for six weeks and undergoing surgery to have plates inserted in his face, a court has heard.

Christopher Ryan, who also lost three teeth in the attack in the Bandbox in Felixstowe, had trouble sleeping after the incident and hadn’t wanted to see his young son because he didn’t want him to be frightened of him, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Before the court was Jamie Arnold, 29, of Manor Terrace, Felixstowe, who admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Ryan and was jailed for two years.

Sentencing him, Judge David Goodin said Arnold had floored Mr Ryan with a single punch in a “fit of rage”, but accepted he hadn’t intended to cause the injuries he did.

Michael Crimp, prosecuting, said that while Mr Ryan had been in the Bandbox in the early hours of February 26 he had seen Arnold and his brother.

Arnold and his brother, with whom Mr Ryan had issues in the past, had shouted at Mr Ryan, who tried to calm the situation by offering to buy them a drink, said Mr Crimp.

As Mr Ryan was waiting at the bar Arnold’s brother pushed him with both hands causing him to fall against the bar. Mr Ryan repeated his offer of a drink but then heard someone say “enough talking” and he was then punched by the defendant on the side of the face.

The blow was so hard that Mr Ryan, who weighed nearly 17 stone, fell to the floor, striking his heard on a brass footrail as he went to the ground causing himn to lose consciousness.

He spent three days in Ipswich Hospital and underwent surgery to have his mouth wired up and have plates inserted in his face to help his jaw heal.

In a victim impact statement Mr Ryan described being in unbearable pain following the attack.

Roger Thomson for Arnold said his client had thrown a single punch which wasn’t premeditated.

He said Arnold had not anticipated the serious injuries caused to Mr Ryan.

“He is sorry for what he has done and wishes he could turn the clock back,” he said.