A CAREER soldier who is about to be made redundant after 12 years in the Armed Forces has appeared in court for assault.

Darren Stuart Nicholls launched a “totally unprovoked” attack on another man in the men’s toilets at The Queen’s pub in Tadcaster on the night Chelsea won the Champions League, said Steven Ovenden, prosecuting. He had drunk between ten and 15 pints of beer.

Sally Howard, for Nicholls, said he had been on post-operation leave at the time after serving for six months on the front line in Afghanistan. She alleged he had been the subject of taunts about his occupation during the evening and had lost his temper.

Army-trained medic and married father-of-two Nicholls, 35, currently based in Germany, pleaded guilty to assault and was ordered to pay £50 compensation to the man he attacked, plus £85 prosecution costs.

He was also conditionally discharged for 12 months.

The day after the court hearing, he flew out to Germany to begin his final posting.

The court heard he had volunteered for redundancy and would leave the Army on December 11. Mrs Howard said he had served in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Bosnia during his time in the Army.

Mr Ovenden said the victim’s injuries included a swollen neck, swollen ankle and scratches.

The attack had lasted less than a minute and had culminated with the two on the floor in a toilet cubicle.

Mrs Howard said for Nicholls: “He is very remorseful and ashamed about his behaviour.”

The victim had been a friend of his, but he had lost that friendship. He had initially held himself together during the evening and not been aggressive, but had then lost his temper.