HE WAS a promising student at the University of York, with a career in politics beckoning.

Today he was starting a nine-month prison sentence, his hopes and ambitions in tatters.

Osvaldo Jose Fuentes-Atton, 21, was jailed for hitting a fellow student in the face with a bottle at Ziggy's nightclub in York.

After hearing the effect custody would have on his studies and his career, Judge Paul Hoffman sent him to jail with a "heavy heart".

Fuentes-Atton is treasurer of York University Student's Union (YUSU), and had hoped to start work as a political advisor next year.

But his jail sentence means he will miss his third-year exams, and cannot graduate this summer.

Prosecuting, Tim Stead told York Crown Court that Fuentes-Atton hit fellow student Jonathan Percy with the bottle on May 20 last year, after mistaking him for his former girlfriend's new boyfriend.

He said Fuentes-Atton, who had drunk wine, beer and spirits that night, became angry because he thought Mr Percy was lying about his identity. He hit him with the bottle, and then punched him on the nose.

Fuentes-Atton, a politics student at Langwith College, was arrested nine days later. In court, he pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent.

Mitigating, Nicholas Johnson said: "The defendant mistakenly tried to talk to Mr Percy - something which was utterly foolish and pointless.

"This was a mistake made by a man in drink. The split with his girlfriend destroyed him and he committed the offence in those emotionally charged circumstances.

"Until that moment, this young man had been of outstanding character and had achieved a great deal throughout his life."

He said Fuentes-Atton was not from a privileged background. His parents were from Chile, and he had accumulated a £12,000 debt to pay for his education.

Mr Johnson also read out a number of character references, including one from Selby MP John Grogan, for whom Fuentes-Atton had worked as a political assistant. In it, Mr Grogan described Fuentes-Atton as "level-headed" and "with a good sense of perspective".

But Judge Hoffman, Honorary Recorder of York, told Fuentes-Atton: "In temper, drink and frustration you struck the wrong man with a bottle and caused a deep wound.

"Unhappily, attacks with glasses and bottles in nightclubs and public houses are common both in this city and others, and the courts must do what they can to deter this sort of conduct.

"With a heavy heart I am unable to depart from the normal course of imposing a custodial sentence. The usual approach for an offence of this nature would be a sentence of between 18 months and two years.

"What I can do is to keep the sentence to a bare minimum of nine months."

Student papers gagged

STUDENT journalists believe they may not be able to name Fuentes-Atton in their own publications, despite his court appearance and prison sentence.

The Evening Press reported in October last year that newspapers Nouse and York Vision were not allowed to report details of the attack in Ziggy's.

Both papers are funded by York University Students' Union, provided they sign up to a media charter which bans naming students involved in court cases.

At the time, union president James Alexander said the charter was necessary to protect the welfare of its students.

Toby Hall, editor of Nouse when the incident occurred, said: "The incident happened in the summer holidays, and we were going to use the story on the front page of our first edition of the new academic year - but under the terms of the media charter, we couldn't print anything.

"It's an absurd situation because now the story will be on campus anyway. Students can buy the Evening Press and find out about their union treasurer, but will read nothing in their own student newspapers."

John Rose, the union's education and welfare officer, said he could not comment on individual cases, but the union had to protect the interests of all its members.

Updated: 08:38 Thursday, April 14, 2005