A THUG who knocked a man’s front tooth out in an unprovoked attack has been ordered to pay his victim’s £3,500 dental bill.

James Brookes, 23, punched Adrian Whitehead in the face with a single blow, outside The Venue, in Colne, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Mr Whitehead also suffered damage to his gums, and cuts to his lip where the tooth went through it, in the ‘frightening and upsetting’ attack.

Brookes, who works for his father’s firm, Brookes Driveways, had admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, and had been committed for sentence by the lower court.

Brookes, of Cragg Street, Colne, was sentenced to seven months in prison, suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work, and a six-month curfew, between 8pm and 6.30am which, a judge said, was to stop him going out.

Brookes must pay a total of £4,000 compensation to Mr Whitehead.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said Mr Whitehead was out on a leaving party with colleagues last October 12.

There was an incident inside the bar involving the defendant and his friend, and two of the victim’s party. Brookes and his friend had been asked to leave.

Mr Parker said it appeared Mr Whitehead was ‘blissfully unaware’ of what had gone on, went to a takeaway, and was coming back and heard his friend saying: “I want an apology off him.”

The victim walked over to see what was going on and said to the defendant and his friend: “Why don’t you just apologise?”, or similar words. The friend was abusive, and Brookes punched Mr Whitehead. He was taken to hospital.

The prosecutor said Mr Whitehead's tooth was knocked out. The root had to be extracted and he would need an implant. He had already paid out £700 for dental treatment.

The victim had been embarrassed to go out with his tooth missing, and was worried about the financial implications of the treatment.

Brookes had a previous conviction for assault causing actual bodily harm, and had been given a suspended jail term for wounding. Kristian Cav-anagh, for Brookes, said he had shown remorse and taken steps to address his offending behaviour.

Sentencing, Recorder Philip Curran told Brookes: “You are a violent young man. It doesn’t take very long to damage someb-ody’s face in this way. It came all too casually to you.”