Bradley Watson, 21, was on an alcohol-fuelled bender when he carried out the “unprovoked” attack in the early hours of July 8, leaving the victim with a fractured nose.

Watson was placed on a 12-month intensive corrections order in Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday, with Magistrate Michael Stoddart labelling apprentice tiler’s actions “atrocious”.

“This was completely unprovoked – your behaviour was absolutely appalling,” he said.

“You’re lucky the victim didn’t suffer more significant injuries or you’d be going to jail today.”

Watson will be required to do 200 hours of community service work as part of the community-based sentence.

Magistrate Stoddart also stipulated a condition that Watson abstain from alcohol for the during of the order after defence lawyer Greg Melrose said his client had a problem with controlling his alcohol intake.

Court documents said the victim was on the dance floor of the club with friends around 1am when he saw Watson gesturing towards him and giving him an “angry look”.

He told police he didn’t think anything of it however was in the same spot about an hour later when he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around.

He said Watson was standing in front of him and headbutted him without warning, causing him to fall back into his friends and his nose to start gushing blood.

Watson was taken outside by one friend, while another helped security guards locate Watson, who disappeared into the crowd as soon as the assault ended.

When located and spoken to, Watson told the bouncers “I didn’t do anything”.

The victim went to a medical centre the next morning ahead of a scheduled overseas holiday with his family.

The assault was reported to police when the family returned nine days later.

The victim also gave police copies of photos of his face he’d taken over the time he’d been away and medical records that confirmed he had suffered two fractures to his nose.

Watson was arrested on July 29 and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, to which he pleaded guilty.

Mr Melrose told the court Watson was “extremely sorry” for his actions and had already made a start of his own rehabilitation, including giving up alcohol.

Watson has lodged a severity appeal against the sentence.