A nightclub promoter who punched a man in the face, knocking him to the ground, has been cleared of assault.

Luther Blake, of Wheeler Street, Maidstone, was handing out leaflets for bar Dusk 2 Dawn in Jubilee square on January 26 when he struck Damien Henderson.

Mr Henderson, who was on a night out with his partner Katey Dingwall, was approached by the 26-year-old in Jubilee Square shortly after 11.30pm and given a discount voucher.

When the couple decided they didn’t want it, Mr Henderson put it in Mr Blake’s front pocket, tearing his coat.

The pair then argued over the damage before Mr Blake walked off.

According to his statement, Mr Henderson followed him shouting threats.

CCTV footage played to magistrates showed how Mr Blake turned to face Mr Henderson and punched him, knocking him to the floor.

Mr Henderson received a large cut to the forehead and other small cuts to the mouth and eyebrow and he was taken to hospital for treatment.

“He had been shouting at me he was going to do me in. I felt I was in danger, that he was going to cause me injury,” said Mr Blake.

“I’m truly sorry for the injuries he sustained but I was acting in self defence.”

However, the prosecution argued Mr Blake was angered after his coat was damaged and attacked the pub-goer.

“You had enough, you saw red, and you decided to deck him,” said prosecuter Andrew Jones.

Mr Blake, who denied assault, claimed to have fallen on top of him before realising Mr Henderson was unconscious and says he then tried to put him in the recovery position but was told to leave by bystanders.

Katey Dingwall said in her evidence the defendant appeared to be grabbing at her partner as if he was attacking and tried to drag him away.

She claimed to have called to Mr Blake to come back and wait for the police but he left and went home. He later got a call from an officer and went to Maidstone Police Station.

Chairman of the bench Harry Teacher acquitted Mr Blake of assault saying the prosecution had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt he assaulted Mr Henderson, saying: “We believe the defendant acted in the belief that he was acting in self defence in this case.”