A STUDENT who left another man scarred for life in a brawl outside a Renfrewshire pub has dodged a jail sentence.

Malcolm Bell, of Semple Street, Lochwinnoch, attacked Josh Ward in Houston as they waited for taxis home following a night out on May 28 last year.

The pair, who knew each other from their time as pupils at Gryffe High School, had argued in the street after leaving the Houston Inn.

The altercation turned physical and Bell lashed out, punching Mr Ward on the face and leaving him with a cut under his eye.

Details of the attack emerged last week when 22-year-old Bell appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court to be sentenced.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Mr Ward to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement after claims that he repeatedly struck him on the face were deleted from the charge.

Procurator fiscal depute John Penman told the court: “Josh Ward was in the company of friends. The accused is outside and they were outside the Houston Inn public house.

“They were all congregated in the street, waiting on separate taxis. The now accused, without provocation, assaulted the complainer by punching him on the face.

“There was a brief skirmish and it was at that point the complainer realised he was bleeding from a wound – a laceration beneath his right eye. Police and an ambulance were called and he was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital.”

Seven stitches were used to seal the 3cm wound, with doctors at the Paisley hospital telling Mr Ward it will leave a permanent scar.

Bell was arrested at his home later that morning and held in police custody before appearing in court.

Defence solicitor Jonathan Mason explained: “In the car on the way to the police station, he said ‘that boy was really getting on my nerves.’

“That is his position – there was a verbal disagreement between the two of them and he lost his temper.”

Mr Mason added that Bell wanted to “profusely apologise.”

The lawyer said: “He recognises this is a very serious matter.

“He hopes to make something of his life but, if he is sent to custody, he will serve half of the sentence and his hopes of a good career are gone.

“He comes from a good background and has never been in trouble before. He was provoked to a certain extent by comments made but there was no physical provocation.”

As he spared Bell prison, placing him on a Community Payback Order and telling him to pay compensation to his victim, Sheriff Seith Ireland said: “I can deal with it by way of an alternative to custody but it’s been very close.”

Sheriff Ireland ordered Bell, who studies Chemical Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, to pay £1,000 in compensation and complete 200 hours of unpaid work for the benefit of the community.