A man who knocked out a nightclub goer after his partner was barged into at Carbon in Stowmarket has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

James Scarlett pushed Connah Cornish to the ground and kicked him in the head outside the club causing cuts, grazes and facial injuries, in the early hours of May 25 last year.

The 41-year-old, of Barking Road, Willisham, admitted the assault when arrested nearby shortly afterwards, telling police: “That’s what you get for trying to protect someone.”

Scarlett, who formally pleaded plea to the charge at magistrates’ court in January, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday.

Prosecutor Russell Butcher said Mr Cornish had no recollection of being followed into the car park and pushed to the ground, where Scarlett’s shod foot connected with his head, at about 2.33am.

The court heard Scarlett had been on a rare night out with his partner, whose wrist was injured after she was “dived into” and fell over inside the club.

Craig Marchant, mitigating, said Scarlett was so focused on remonstrating with Mr Cornish that he failed to notice he was drunkenly swaying and already unsteady on his feet.

“He immediately accepted responsibility, showed remorse and co-operation, and indicated multiple times that he was wrong and would undo it if he could,” said Mr Marchant.

“He may have acted hot-headedly, but is nonetheless a conscientious family man.”

He said Scarlett had voluntarily completed an anger management course since the offence.

He said the warehouse manager had amended his anxiety medication in the months before the assault and may have become more impulsive.

Judge Emma Peters said there was no justification for the assault, adding: “It’s clear something happened to cause your partner to fall over – but I’m not looking to ascribe blame.

“You formed the opinion Mr Cornish was responsible and followed him outside. It’s clear he was intoxicated, and it’s clear you too had a level of intoxication, but no one can look to that as an excuse – it’s only ever thought of as an aggravating feature.”

Scarlett was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with up to 35 days of rehabilitation and 100 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay Mr Cornish £600 in compensation.