A Dorchester man has been told he could face jail after being found guilty of grievous bodily harm.

Judge Peter Johnson told Martin Lewis Smith, 29, that ‘all sentencing options, particularly custody, are available’, after the jury returned a guilty verdict at Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday.

In a two-day trial the court heard that victim Samuel Howorth was left with a broken jaw after the attack at the former Bar Rouge in Dorchester in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2011.

Smith, of Holbaek Close, formerly of Rod Hill Close, Puddletown , punched Mr Howorth after being approached three times by the victim, who according to witnesses was dancing in a ‘provocative’ manner.

In his closing statement, Matthew Jewell, for the prosecution, said: “The defendant tells you that he did not get annoyed at all, and, if anything, he was concerned, worried and thought he was being bullied.

“He says what happened on the third occasion was that Mr Howorth put his face up into Mr Smith’s and drew his head back as if to head butt him.

“No other witness has described anything remotely like that.”

Mr Howorth previously told the court he had been dancing with friends when he felt hands touch his waist from behind.

He said he had turned around to be met with a punch to his jaw.

The jury of five men and seven women took three hours and 52 minutes to return a verdict on which ten of them were agreed.