An offshore worker took exception to being asked to dance by another man and broke his jaw in a flurry of punches.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that 26 year old Matthew Mackenzie had been on the dance floor a few minutes earlier “doing a silly dance” before David Underwood gave a similar performance.
But Sheriff Margaret Neilson was told that Mr Underwood was struck by Mackenzie.
Defence solicitor John MacColl said: “My client is a man’s man and he lost his temper when another man tried to entice him on to the dance floor. It is accepted there was no provocation here, not in the legal sense.
“But eight or nine minutes earlier when my client was on the floor doing a silly dance, his victim approached him and said: ‘you think you are a hard man.’
“This offence is extremely out of character and I would be very surprised if we see Mr Mackenzie here again.”
Mackenzie of Harrowden Road, Inverness admitted at an earlier hearing assaulting Mr Underwood to his severe injury in the Auctioneer’s Bar in Church Street on July 22 last year.
He was ordered to carry out 220 hours of unpaid community work.
Fiscal depute Michelle Molley told the court: “Mr Underwood was filmed on CCTV alone on the dancefloor, occasionally dancing with one of his group and evidently intoxicated, judging by his moves.
“He turns to face Mackenzie and can be seen beckoning him with a hand gesture onto the dancefloor. The gesture appears friendly and typical of someone dancing alone wanting company.
“Suddenly Mackenzie leaves his table, and punches him once to the side of his head knocking him to the floor.
“He then leans over Mr Underwood who is now prone on his back and appears to punch him again and again before other patrons move towards him and pull him away.”
Mr Underwood had surgery in Aberdeen the following day and had two metal plates inserted into his broken jaw, Ms Molley added.