A STUDENT who attacked a man with a £100-plus Champagne bottle in late night violence was blasted by a judge for his “arrogance and vulgarity”.

Qays Ali Akhtar, who was an undergraduate at the University of York, had been celebrating the end of his second year pharmaceutical exams at Vudu in the city centre, heard York Crown Court.

Akhtar’s group had bought three bottles of Champagne at between £100 and £150 each, said Recorder Nicholas Lumley QC.

“Some university students struggle to pay for their accommodation, never mind drinks like this,” he said.

“Such was your arrogance and vulgarity, you were pouring Champagne over your watch in a display of comparative wealth.”

He said Akhtar and his friends had engineered a situation in what had been a pleasant atmosphere and the 23-year-old had hit out with the bottle in an unprovoked attack that had physical and psychological effects on the victim.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said Akhtar changed his appearance between the incident in early May last year and his arrest five days later.

Akhtar, 23, of Grasmere Way, Wembley, pleaded guilty to wounding and was given a 20-month prison sentence suspended for two years on condition he does 300 hours’ unpaid work and observes a three-month nightly curfew from 10pm to 6am.

He must also pay £500 compensation to the victim, a salesman.

Mr Dodds said Akhtar’s blow to the head shocked or hurt the victim so much he bit his tongue.

He also suffered a 3cm cut to his forehead and a bruised eye. Akhtar had made off, though one of his group had been arrested on suspicion of being the attacker.

The University of York threw Akhtar off his course for his behaviour, his barrister Stephen Grattage said.

He said Akhtar’s behaviour was out of character and made allegations about the victim. Akhtar had not intended to injure the salesman, he said.

Akhtar claimed he had tried to speak to the police arresting his friend at the scene, but there was no evidence whether he had or had not, the court heard.

The only changes to his appearance before his arrest were a haircut and a beard trim.

He had resumed his studies at the University of Leicester, where he had had to repeat the second year, said the defence barrister.