A MAN was left with a broken eye socket after he was punched in the face in an unprovoked assault outside a Whitchurch pub, a court heard.

The incident at the Last Orders pub was captured on CCTV and clearly shows 29-year-old William Potter unleashing the blow on the victim Jordan Clive.

Potter appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court this week for sentence when he was told he had avoided immediate prison 'by the skin of his teeth'.

Judge Peter Barrie said that the victim had been walking towards Potter with his hands in his pockets.

"He was no threat to you at all. It was a severe and nasty blow and a nasty injury," he said.

Potter, of Bargates, Whitchurch, was given an 11-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to pay the victim £1,500 in compensation.

Potter, who had pleaded guilty to a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm, must also complete 100 hours unpaid work and a rehabilitation programme.

The court heard the drunken defendant had lashed out while on a night out in Whitchurch in November, 2017.

Phillip Beardwell, prosecuting, said that the victim was outside the Last Orders pub in Watergate Street, and was about to walk a female friend home when Potter called him over.

He said the CCTV footage - shown to the court - clearly showed Potter throwing a punch sending the victim staggering backwards.

Mr Beardwell said the victim could not remember the incident, and he didn't seek medical attention until the next day.

"He was in a lot of pain. He went to Princess Royal Hospital in Telford with a nasty black eye. He was x-rayed and found to have a broken eye socket," he said.

The defendant was later traced and arrested and gave a no comment interview to police.

Potter had been due to face trial, but pleaded guilty the day before the hearing after seeing the CCTV footage.

Michael Anning, for Potter, said his client had been drinking more than usual because of the recent death of his grandmother and knows the assault was stupid and wished he had not done it.