A GREAT Yarmouth man's night out on the seafront ended in violence when he punched someone in the face, magistrates heard yesterday. Luke Thornton, 20, admitted assaulting Matthew Shields and was fined £100 and ordered to pay £100 compensation.

A GREAT Yarmouth man's night out on the seafront ended in violence when he punched someone in the face, magistrates heard yesterday.

Luke Thornton, 20, admitted assaulting Matthew Shields and was fined £100 and ordered to pay £100 compensation.

Conrad Shaw, prosecuting, said Thornton “flipped out” when Mr Shields bumped into him in Regent Road shortly after 2.30am on July 12. The punch felled Mr Shields who ended up unconscious after cracking his head on the pavement, opening up a three-inch cut.

Annette Hall, mitigating, said Thornton, of South Beach Parade, was drinking in the seafront Long Bar with his cousin who had become involved in a dispute with Mr Shields.

When Mr Shields later bumped into him he thought he was having a go at him, though he now accepted that was not the case and regretted his actions.

Ms Hall said Thornton had been badly affected by a series of blows this year, with him being laid off from work, seeing his relationship break up and his grandmother dying.