A MAN who admitted assaulting a tourist who was night fishing in Weymouth has been given a conditional discharge – more than a year after the offence.

John Paul Thomas Johnson, 20, admitted punching Masaru Shimizu twice at the town’s Pleasure Pier on January 2 last year.

He was involved in a joint attack with Robert Michael Davies, who was sentenced to 40 weeks in a young offender institution for his part in the assault.

Mr Shimizu was repeatedly struck to the head in the unprovoked attack by Johnson and Davies, who had both been drinking.

Johnson, who has learning difficulties and a history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, had his sentence deferred on December 23 last year to give him an opportunity to engage with a learning disability team, stay out of trouble and co-operate with the Probation Service.

Tim Bradbury, representing Johnson, said his client had met all the expectations of the court.

He said: “He has met all his obligations. He has co-operated in all the ways that he was asked to.”

Judge Jarvis made Johnson, of Westbourton Road, Gillingham, subject to a two-year conditional discharge and told the defendant that it was an exceptional course due to the progress he had made.

The defendant was also ordered to pay £200 compensation to Mr Shimizu.