A TEENAGER who cracked a man's jaw with a single punch has been spared prison.

A judge warned Callum Reeves against using "mindless, drunken violence" in the future after hearing that the 19-year-old lashed out after a night spent drinking in Bournemouth town centre.

The defendant, of Spring Road in Springbourne, left Ayden Barber with two displaced fractures to his jawline after swinging for him in the early hours of July 1 this year.

Natalie Wood, prosecuting at Bournemouth Crown Court, said the defendant had become close to a woman who had later rejected him after she saw him allegedly following her to and from Tower Park in Poole in his car.

On the night of the assault, Reeves had been in Yates bar in Dean Park Crescent when he saw the woman, who was in the company of Mr Barber and others.

After the bar closed, the two men were involved in a confrontation, which led to the defendant punching Mr Barber in the face.

Ms Wood said a friend of Mr Barber's, Braden Elcock, described the punch as taking place in "slow motion".

"Mr Elcock said he could see blood everywhere," she added.

"He could see blood all over [Mr Barber], which was coming from his mouth. Mr Barber's jaw was swollen and odd-shaped and Mr Elcock could see an area of black inside his mouth. [Mr Elcock] believed [Mr Barber] had lost a tooth and described him as being in shock."

Doctors were forced to insert plates into the victim's jaw during an "invasive surgery" under general anaesthetic, Ms Wood said.

In mitigation, the court heard that Reeves, an apprentice carpenter, had not planned the punch.

Barrister Guy Draper said: "This appears to be entirely out of character.

"A silly and grave mistake was made by Me Reeves and this would appear to be an aberration."

The defendant admitted assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

Sentencing, Recorder Donald Tait told Reeves: "Young people [are] going out and having too much to drink and ending up having a fight or, in your case, simply hitting somebody with no provocation at all.

"It's this sort of behaviour that courts feel obliged to stamp on heavily."

He added: "The message needs to go out to young people - people like yourself - if you drink too much and lose control, courts will deal with you severely."

Reeves, who has no previous convictions, was sentenced to 12 months in a young offender institution, suspended for 18 months.

He will also have to complete 150 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months, and pay his victim £500 in compensation costs.