A BARROW man knocked a woman to the floor in a nightclub with a single punch in an unprovoked attack.

Nathan Benjamin Moffatt, who was already on bail at the time, walked up to Georgia Moore on the dancefloor in Broadway and punched her so hard she was knocked to the floor.

Miss Moore, who did not know Moffatt, was left with a black eye following the unprovoked assault.

At South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on Monday Moffatt, of Storey Square, pleaded guilty to assaulting Miss Moore in the early hours of Sunday May 5.

The 35-year-old had previously denied the offence but since changed his plea to guilty.

The Abbey Road court heard the incident happened in the Cavendish Street club at around 2am.

Miss Moore was with a group of friends on the dancefloor when Moffatt approached her and punched her once in the face.

She immediately fell to the floor to the shock of those around her.

Moffatt, who was represented in court by defence solicitor Maureen Fawcett from Clarkson Hirst, was jailed for 20 weeks.

Magistrates said the offence was so serious it warranted an immediate custodial sentence.

Magistrate chair Christopher Harris described the incident as a ‘completely unprovoked attack on a stranger’ and ‘due to the force of the punch’ the victim was left with a ‘significant injury’.

Aggravating features of the offence, as referenced by magistrates to justify the sentence, included the fact that the defendant was intoxicated at the time, the incident happened on licensed premises, and that the defendant had a significant record of previous offences and was on bail to the crown court at the time.

Moffatt was also ordered to pay £300 compensation to Miss Moore as well as £300 court costs, taking into account the late guilty plea, and a £115 victim surcharge.

Magistrates said the total amount owed to the court, £715, must be paid by September 9.