A soldier who beat up his friend so badly he broke several bones in his face has walked free from court.

After downing "enormous amounts" of booze, Simon Chester left William Pettitt with fractures to both eye sockets, the bridge of his nose, his jaw and cheeks and a gash to his lip.

But the 25-year-old squaddie was sentenced to six months' imprisonment - suspended for 18 months - and 150 hours' unpaid work after a judge spoke of his "exemplary conduct" in the Army.

Chester, who will now be thrown out of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, was ordered to pay his former friend £2,000 compensation.

The two men had been drinking all afternoon when they went to a birthday party at The Village Club, in Cliffe, on November 11 last year.

Prosecutor Allister Walker said during the evening they had words about Mr Pettitt's ex-girlfriend. The victim walked to the car park and Chester followed.

"A scuffle started and Mr Pettitt was heavily assaulted by the defendant," he said.

Judge David Caddick was shown CCTV of the violence in which Chester was said to have gone "over the top", continuing to attack Mr Pettitt after he had gone to the ground.

The victim was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital and then transferred to the Queen Victoria Hospital, in East Grinstead, for surgery.

Plates were inserted in both cheeks and his jaw had to be wired and straightened with a bar. His lip was stitched and two front teeth were removed. He suffered nerve damage.

Chester told police they had been good friends for 10 years. He said he thought Mr Pettitt's ex-girlfriend had upset him and went after him to stop him going home.

Mr Walker said Mr Pettitt only remembered walking to the car park and Chester pulling him back. He described the assault as unprovoked.

Chester, of Cliffe, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Mr Pettitt and senior Army officers sat in court as Tom Stern, defending, said Chester - who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan - acted in a moment of madness.

If the threshold of a community order with more than 150 hours' unpaid work were passed, he said, it would almost certainly trigger his discharge.

Chester wept as the judge told him: "I have decided I can, and should, suspend the sentence."