A flirty Kingston University student turned nasty when his advances were spurned.
Charles Marshall, a second-year sports analysis and coaching student, tried to chat up two women near the Hippodrome club in March.
He started hurling insults when his pick-up lines failed to impress them, and then headbutted an onlooker who tried to intervene.
He was told by a judge yesterday his behaviour was “absolutely disgraceful”.
Judge Fergus Mitchell said: “You responded instantly by using force on that person. It is just outrageous and very worrying that you should behave in that way.”
Prosecutor Subhankar Banerjee told Kingston Crown Court the women were walking along Eden Street just after 3.30am on March 30 when Marshall approached them.
He said: “It appears the defendant tried to chat up the two women but they rejected his advances. He in response became abusive towards them, calling them ‘tramps’ and ‘fat’.”
When a passer-by stopped and tried to calm things down, Marshall headbutted him, fracturing his nose, the court heard.
Marshall told the police when they arrived: “It is so unlike me to do what I did, it really is.”
He pleaded guilty on the day of his trial, in September, to committing actual bodily harm.
The court heard Marshall believed the victim was going to assault him.
Mr Banerjee said the man was left “seriously affected” by the incident, struggles with confidence, and is “constantly stressed”.
Defending, Daniel Danborough described Marshall, 21, of Highbury Close in New Malden, as an “intelligent young man”.
He told the court Marshall dreamed of becoming a primary school teacher, but that “this conviction is very much going to put that into doubt.”
He added: “This is a young man who does have prospects in the future. This is his first offence.
“He appears to be going the right way in life apart from this evening.”
Sentencing Marshall to a seven-month prison term, suspended for two years, Judge Mitchell said: “If you go straight to prison that is not going to do your future any good.
“When you next start headbutting people you will have to carry an extra sentence.
“I hope you have learned now how serious it is to use violence in a public place.”
Marshall was also ordered to pay £750 compensation to the victim, plus a £100 surcharge. He will complete 80 hours of unpaid work and be supervised for a year.
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