A SOLDIER who was badly injured in Afghanistan bit the nose of a peacemaker in an attack in Clitheroe.

Dominic Giles has been told by a judge he must pay £2,000 compensation to his victim, who had tried to stop him arguing with another man on a night out.

Sentencing in the case had been put back nearly four months.

When he appeared back at Preston Crown Court, the judge who had deferred sentencing told him: "You have served your country and now you must repay the leniency which the court gives you and shows you and the trust the court will invest in you in the future.”

Giles, 22, of Lancaster Drive, Clitheroe had pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding. He was also ordered to carry out ninety hours unpaid work for the community The charge related to an incident in July last year in which Bernard Stewart was injured.

At the hearing in January, the court was told he had no recollection of the offence due to a horriffic injury he had later suffered in Afghanistan.

He had lost his right leg and been receiving treatment at Headley Court.

At the time of the offence, Giles had been out socialising with girls whose boyfriends were mates of his and serving overseas.

Mr Stewart had noticed an argument while leaving the Dog pub. He went on to take hold of the defendant by his wrists and asked him to stop and calm down.

As a result of the attack, Mr Stewart had been left with a severe scar that needed cosmetic surgery to try and rectify it.

Giles' barrister told the hearing in January that he had been under strain at the time of the wounding.

He had already lost two colleagues that had been serving in Afghanistan.

Tim Ashmole, defending Giles at the deferred sentence hearing, said it was accepted that a nasty injury had been caused.

"The defendant has made good progress with the physiotherapy and psychological effects of what happened to him in September last year.

"The Army will await the outcome of the sentence to see how it will deal with him. He has been told he will be dealt with severely".

He had been described as a valuable and respected soldier. If given a sentence of more than ninety nine hours of unpaid work, he would be dismissed.

His barrister added that it would be hard to find a more exceptional case.

The judge, Recorder Nicholas Braslavasky QC, told Giles "There is no doubt this was the use of illegitimate violence while in drink.

"The Army speaks highly of you. A warrant officer's report of the Royal Engineers speaks of your time in the military, the esteem in which you are held and this being out of character.”