A DRUNKEN brawler who fractured a man’s cheek in a Weymouth fight kneeled in the street and asked police to arrest him, a court heard.

John Paul Moore, aged 30, of Great George Street, appeared at Dorchester Crown Court to be sentenced after admitting a charge of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm without intent.

Prosecuting, Carolyn Branford-Wood said: “In November last year police were called by the town’s CCTV operators to reports of a fight in St Mary Street.

“They located a number of persons, including the defendant and the complainant pointing and shouting towards each other.

“Mr Moore then kneeled in the middle of the road and said ‘arrest me, I deserve it’.”

The victim was taken to Dorset County Hospital, where an X-ray showed he had a fractured right cheek bone, Miss Branford-Wood said.

She added that in police interview, Moore said he had been on a night out in Weymouth with his then-girlfriend and a number of others, including the victim.

Moore confronted the victim after learning he had grabbed his partner’s bottom and punched him repeatedly.

In mitigation, Francis Abbott said there was a ‘degree of provocation’.

He said: “It happened on the spur of the moment in one of these very unfortunate situations.

“He made candid admissions and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, showing he is both remorseful and honest.

“It must have just flared up out of nothing and he bitterly regrets it.”

Judge Roger Jarvis made a community order to last until March 13, 2016.

As part of the sentence he ordered Moore to attend supervision appointments and ‘Keeping Calm’ classes.

He also ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £200 compensation.

Judge Jarvis said: “Far too frequently this court and others have to deal with men who have to answer for acts of violence.

“Very often the violence has taken place when the defendant has been influenced by drink and has taken umbrage at some sort of slight, real or imagined, and instead of walking away, a fight has ensued.”