ONE punch cost a Leigh man his home and £600 in compensation.

Paul Grundy, 24, of Pennine Grove, Leigh, must also work unpaid in the community, Recorder John Bromley-Davenport ruled at Bolton Crown Court.

The court was told Grundy lost his new home because he could not afford to pay both his mortgage and legal aid contributions.

For punching Eammon McGoldrick and leaving him scarred, Grundy was ordered to pay £600 compensation. He had originally planned to stand trial on a charge of wounding with intent but after plea bargaining, he admitted a lesser charge of unlawful wounding on September 18 1999.

Prosecutor Darren Preston said the victim was sitting at a table in The Queen's Theatre club in Ashton-in-Makerfield, when he felt a blow to the head. He did not see who hit him but when he went to the toilets to examine his injury, he was bleeding heavily from a cut to the head.

His friend and a girl at the table saw Grundy approach Mr McGoldrick and punch him once in the head in an unprovoked attack.

Mr McGoldrick needed six stitches in the wound. Grundy was eventually arrested in May 2000 and when interviewed, admitted he had been in the club but denied hitting anyone.

Defending, Jaimie Hamilton said Grundy, a fork lift truck driver, had temporarily split from his long-term girlfriend and had drunk too much.

He had been paying £160 a month towards his legal aid payments but could not afford to pay the contributions and his mortgage.

He and his girlfriend had to sell their house and moved into council accommodation.

Recorder John Bromley-Davenport said had Grundy hit his victim with a bottle, he would have been sent to jail.

He ordered Grundy to serve a 100-hour Community Punishment Order and pay £600 compensation at £40 a week.