A thug who pummelled a man unconscious on a toilet floor before rampaging through a pub has been ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation to his victim.

Jack Petts, of Martello Road, Folkestone, admitted assaulting Colin Walledge in the gents at the East Kent Arms public house in Sandgate Road on Saturday, February 25 this year.

The 20-year-old recycling centre machine operator had downed as many as eight pints of lager before launching the unprovoked assault against Mr Walledge, who was found concussed in a pool of blood before being taken to the William Harvey Hospital.

Appearing before Folkestone magistrates, prosecutor Neil Sweeney said that Petts then went on a “rampage” which left patrons “cowering” in fear.

Mr Sweeney said: “Witnesses heard a commotion in the toilets and saw a man punching another on the floor.

“They confronted Mr Petts, who went over to the pool table and started throwing furniture and stools around, with customers seen to be cowering.

“He was escorted out of the pub, but grabbed pool balls which he then threw at the windows, causing them to shatter.”

A probation report into Petts’ behaviour found he had received anger management counselling while at school following difficulties coping with his parents’ separation, which led to low self esteem and drinking.

But probation officers say Petts, who is in a stable relationship with a pregnant girlfriend, does not want to repeat the behaviour and has stopped drinking and going out.

Chief magistrate Alan Johnson told him: “This was a particularly nasty series of events, in a place where people should be able to go and be sociable.

“This was a serious assault, a sustained and unprovoked assault. You were reckless in your behaviour.”

Magistrates ordered Petts to pay £1,000 to Mr Walledge, £40 in damages to the pub, £85 for court costs and £115 for a victim surcharge, which he has agreed to pay at a rate of £25 per week.

They also imposed a concurrent six-month and 18-week suspended prison sentence for the assault and for affray. He is also under curfew for 12 weeks from 9pm to 6am.