A randy party guest reacted violently after he was caught having sex with a woman in a hotel cupboard, a court heard.

Thomas Kirk lashed out at a security officer, causing two fractures to his cheekbone, before fleeing “stark naked” to a car park and making his escape.

But the drunk 20-year-old left behind some of this clothes and was traced through DNA on his trainers.

Kirk, of Woodlands Road, Gillingham, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm but escaped an immediate jail sentence after a judge heard he would lose a highly valued apprenticeship.

The type of work was not revealed but Judge Philip Statman said it was an opportunity “many young people would die for”.

Kirk, now 21, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years. He was ordered to pay his victim, Paul Biggam, £1,000 compensation and to complete 180 hours unpaid work.

Prosecutor Danny Moore said Mr Biggam, 65, and bar manager Gareth Adams were making sure everybody had left The King Charles Hotel in Brompton Road, Gillingham, in the early hours of December 6 last year when they could not open the door to a cupboard containing a chiller unit.

Mr Adams thought there must be somebody in there and shouted to them to come out.

“They forced entry into the cupboard and saw the defendant and a woman,” Mr Moore told Maidstone Crown Court on Monday. “It was clear to both of them they had been engaging in some form of sexual activity in the cupboard.”

When questioned by Mr Biggam, a former boxer, Kirk hit him with three hard punches to the side of his face.

Judge Statman said: “It was a spontaneous attack when caught in flagrante in this cupboard with a woman. He is stark naked and runs into the car park stark naked.

“He was taken aback when rumbled in the cupboard. His behaviour after that is an absolute disgrace.”

Mr Biggam, who has since quit his job because of the assault, at first thought he just had a black eye but X-Rays revealed the fractures and he had a metal plate and screws inserted into his cheek.

Daniel Benjamin, defending, said Kirk had acknowledged his behaviour was “nothing short of a disgrace”.

“He views it with an unfortunate sense of irony that he met his current girlfriend a matter of days after this incident took place,” he continued.

“If he had met her before, he would not have been at that party. He doesn’t go out to parties any more.

“There was panic going through his mind at the time at the time in the situation he found himself in the desire to get away.

“He realises he has done something completely unacceptable. He has worked hard in his apprenticeship.”

Judge Statman told Kirk: “You met a young woman. You decided you would go into a private part of the place where you were and get into a cupboard, take off all our clothes and engage in sexual activity.

“You were rumbled in the late evening by your victim. In the panic of the moment you were wondering how you would get away. You landed three or four quick blows to his left cheek.

"You were rumbled in the late evening by your victim. In the panic of the moment you were wondering how you would get away" - Judge Statman

“In his measured personal victim statement I have read how his quality of life has changed as a result of your conduct.

“Part of your punishment is undoubtedly the humiliation you suffered as a result of being caught in this compromising position.

“But of far greater concern to me is not your humiliation but your victim and the injury he sustained.”

Kirk, he said, was in the final year of “an excellent apprenticeship”.

“If I were to send you to prison today the apprenticeship will end forthwith,” he continued. “It is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Judge Statman added: “I take the view I can just suspend the sentence upon you. You think long and hard about your actions.”

Kirk was ordered to pay the compensation at the rate of £100 a month.