A YOB who smashed a man's nose for nothing in a Burnley nightclub bragged about what he had done on Facebook, a court was told.

Thomas Richards, 21, was full of "swagger and bravado"when he boasted about the early hours attack to try and impress a female friend on the networking website two months later, the town's crown court heard.

Richards, originally facing a more serious allegation of racially aggravated assault, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm last July 4.

The defendant, of Town Hill Bank, Padiham, was given four months in jail, suspended for a year, with 200 hours unpaid work.

He must also pay £1,000 compensation to victim Ayaz Aslam and £300 costs. He had no previous convictions.

Recorder Anthony McLoughlin slammed Richards's behaviour as a "classic case of too much to drink and throwing your weight around," and said it was infantile and immature.

The judge said the defendant could have had no complaint if he had been sent to custody and added the Facebook entry did him no credit.

He continued: "It pushes courts to think, ‘is that man really remorseful about what he has done?’ to make such an entry two months after the incident."

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, told the court salesman Mr Aslam was at Lava Ignite club.

The defendant was also there and there was an altercation at about 1.30am.

The victim and the defendant were said to have clashed accidentally, words were exchanged and Mr Aslam claimed he was abused.

Some time later the victim was on the dance floor and there may well have been another clash by accident.

Richards then turned round and punched Mr Aslam in the face, breaking his nose.

Miss Statham said the defendant was arrested and was interviewed at 9.30am that day, without legal representation.

He accepted he had hit Mr Aslam, but denied it was racially motivated.

He told police he had no reason to strike the victim and said he had been drunk at the time.

Mr Aslam was taken to hospital, his nose was painful and swollen and he was referred to the ear, nose and throat department.

On July 18, he underwent an operation under general anaesthetic to reduce the fracture.

The prosecutor added on September, Richards made the Facebook entry, bragging about the assault.

Tim Storrie, defending, said Richards had shown a degree of swaggering and bravado over the assault, but that was not the man he was.

The barrister added: "This has been a most educative experience for him."