Jaylon Wayne Messer in court for assault at The Goat nightclub

A man who was out at a nightclub in Central Queensland was punched in the face and suffered a split lip at the hands of a young drunk dad.

Jaylon Wayne Messer, 23.

A man who was out at The Goat nightclub in Rockhampton was punched in the face and suffered a split lip at the hands of a young drunk dad.

Jaylon Wayne Messer, 23, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on May 29 to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm in a public place while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance.

Police prosecutor Brandon Selic said Messer was upstairs at The Goat on January 29 between 1–1.30am when he struck the victim with his left shoulder, causing him to lose balance and collide into another patron.

Mr Selic said Messer motioned with his hands towards the victim, offering him for a fight.

Jaylon Wayne Messer, 23.

He said the victim put his hand up wanting to shake Messer’s hand, but that he slapped his hand away.

He said the victim put his hand up for a handshake once more and that Messer punched him to the face, causing him to stumble backwards and his lip to split open and start bleeding.

He said compensation was sought from the victim.

Defence lawyer Brendan Gimbert said his client, who was a concreter and had a child, was heavily intoxicated and had very little recollection of what had occurred that night.

The Goat nightclub in Rockhampton. Picture: Chris Ison

“He could offer no real explanation for why he behaved as he did,” Mr Gimbert said.

Magistrate Cameron Press sentenced Messer to prison for six months, wholly suspended for 12 months, with convictions recorded.

Messer was ordered to complete 40 hours of unpaid community service in the next year and ordered to pay $700 compensation to the victim.