A YORK soldier who started a mass brawl at a city bar and broke a man's jaw now faces being discharged from the Army.

Adam Pretty, 24, started a mass fight when he hit out around midnight at Society Bar on May 29, prosecutor Louise Pryke told York Crown Court. 

Victim Daniel Lee's injuries were so bad he had to miss his sister's wedding because he was in hospital. He has had problems at work.

Defence solicitor advocate Kristian Cavanagh said following the civil court case, Pretty will appear before an army disciplinary hearing and his punishment could include discharge from the armed forces or affect his chances of promotion if he remains a soldier. 

The hearing would take into account the civil punishment and if Pretty got a sentence of imprisonment or was given a community order with more than 100 hours' unpaid work, was likely to expel him from the Army.

Judge Colin Burn, who has sat on court martials as a judge advocate, said he would have sent Pretty to the military jail at Colchester but would not have discharged him, had he been sitting as an army judge.

"Daniel Lee didn't deserve to have his jaw broken," he told Pretty.

In his civil capacity, he ordered the soldier to do 120 hours' unpaid work and pay £800 to Mr Lee. As sentence was passed, Pretty covered his face.

Pretty, of Imphal Barracks, Fulford Road, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. He is due to be deployed later this autumn to Bosnia. 

Ms Pryke said a group containing Pretty and his friends was arguing with another group at Society Bar on Rougier Street, York.  He punched out and the groups fought until door staff threw them out.

Pretty told police later the punch had been "unprofessional" and that he was sorry for his actions.

Mr Cavanagh said Pretty had been a soldier for four and a half years. He had previous convictions as a youth, but they were all before he joined the Army.