An Exmouth man who repeatedly punched another man in the face, breaking his jaw in two places, has been ordered to pay his victim �2,400 in compensation.

An Exmouth man who repeatedly punched another man in the face, breaking his jaw in two places, has been ordered to pay his victim �2,400 in compensation.Exeter Crown Court heard 21-year-old Adam Welsman attacked 25-year-old Daniel Armstrong at a flat in the town because he felt humiliated by things the victim had said about him.Prosecutor Ann Hampshire said Mr Armstrong, who had been drinking, and other friends turned up at the address and after a couple of hours were asked to leave. There were discussions about that and Welsman took it upon himself to ensure they did leave. He punched Mr Armstrong as he sat on the sofa and then punched him three of four more times when he stood up.He was taken to hospital in an ambulance and had to undergo surgery to have two metals plates inserted in his jaw, which was broken in two places. He was unable to eat solid food for two weeks, was off work at a cost of �1,200, needed painkillers and antibiotics.In a victim impact statement Mr Armstrong said he was shocked and angry at what had happened to him and he hoped Welsman realised that what he did was totally out of order.Mitigating, Nigel Wraith said Welsman accepted what he had done was wrong and he should not have done it. His remorse was tempered with what had happened between him and the victim, who was a long-term friend of his girlfriend, and he felt things Mr Armstrong had said had humiliated him. However, no degree of remorse would deal with the injuries sustained by the victim and it was not right that he had lost his temper.Mr Wraith said Welsman had just completed his apprenticeship as a heavy goods vehicle mechanic and if he went to prison he would lose his job, where he had been employed for the last five years.Twenty-one-year-old Welsman of Phear Avenue, Exmouth, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and, as well as the compensation, was given a 12-month community order coupled with 180 hours of unpaid work.Passing sentence, Recorder Michael Evans QC told Welsman: "Your victim was drunk and you perceived his behaviour as gross provocation. When he refused to leave, your anger spilled over into violence and that was not simply a reaction to frustration. You punched him several times breaking his jaw in two places. This is the sort of violence that rightly attracts the attention of the Press and, if this had happened in the street, you would be starting a substantial prison sentence. You have come as close as you can to receiving such a sentence.