A CARER who attacked a man in a Burnley bar walked free from the town's crown court.

Nicholas Lawton, 24, punched and then kicked his victim Philip Holmes once when he was on the ground but the victim had not wanted to make a complaint, Burnley Crown Court was told.

Mr Holmes, who has a criminal record, was said to have racially abused Lawton and to have "hassled him" from pub to pub trying to sell him drugs, the court was told.

Lawton, of Grassington Drive, Burnley, who had never been in trouble before and was looking after his sick mother, was given 100 hours' unpaid work and was told to pay £100 costs. He admitted affray.

Judge Beverley Lunt told him the offence crossed the custody threshold. She told father-to-be Lawton: "In my judgement, the greatest thing you can possibly lose is your good name and you have lost it, simply because you went too far, whatever the provocation."

She added there was no evidence Mr Holmes suffered any long-term injury and told the court a non-custodial sentence would benefit the community and the defendant.

Martin Hackett, prosecuting, said Mr Holmes had refused to make a complaint to the police.

When police attended at 11.30pm, they found the defendant trying to climb over a wall next to a nightclub and arrested him.

Mr Holmes suffered swelling and cuts to his forehead and a chipped tooth. Lawton was of previous good character.

Philip Holden, defending, said Lawton bitterly regretted the incident.

Mr Holden said Lawton had been drinking but had not been drunk. Mr Holmes had been asking the defendant to buy drugs off him and made a comment, presumably because Lawton was black, that "you lads were always involved in drugs".