A DOORMAN at an Oxford nightclub “found the venue so violent he chose not to work there any more”.

That was the view of a doorman at The Bridge in Hythe Bridge Street after one of his colleagues was charged with assaulting a customer after being attacked.

At Oxford Crown Court on Monday, Nicky Eagle admitted causing actual bodily harm to clubber Thomas Greatbatch after violence erupted on July 25.

The court heard Mr Greatbatch punched Eagle after his friend was told to leave the club.

Eagle then pushed Mr Greatbatch into a crash barrier, which fell into the road.

In a statement read in court by defence barrister Stephen Bailey, fellow doorman Mr James said he “found this particular nightclub so violent that he chose not to work there any more”.

Prosecutor David Povall said 28-year-old builder Mr Greatbatch had gone to the club with another man and two women at about 11pm on the Saturday night.

The court heard an incident took place at 1.30am which involved people who knew the group Mr Greatbatch was with.

Mr Povall said: “The doormen, including this defendant, became involved and one of the people detained to be removed was the victim’s friend, Mr Evans.

“He was taken out from the upstairs part, downstairs to the entrance, by the defendant.

“It’s clear that Mr Greatbatch was concerned about the way his friend was taken out.

“When Mr Evans was detained in the foyer he (Mr Greatbatch) threw at least two punches at the defendant. Other door staff were involved and Mr Greatbatch was restrained by at least three members of staff, including this defendant.

“This defendant then took him out, frogmarched him out into the street across the pavement outside and right into a crash barrier.

“That barrier fell outwards into the road and Mr Greatbatch went over face forwards into the road, fortunately landing between stationary vehicles.”

The victim suffered a 3cm (just more than an inch) laceration to his forehead.

Mr Povall added: “It’s right and only fair to say that the situation in which this happened was a violent one.

“There was fighting going on around the defendant in the foyer and it was clearly a confused and violent situation.”

Mr Bailey, defending, said his 23-year-old client was a personal trainer working temporarily as a licensed doorman at the time and had been left “extremely upset by what happened”.

Eagle, of Marina Way, Abingdon, was given a 12-month community order with 40 hours’ unpaid work and told to pay £200 compensation.

‘REGRETTABLE’ A MANAGER at The Bridge said door staff were not directly employed by the club and that he could not recall a Mr James.

He said: “From our perspective, any kind of physical incident is regrettable.

“That statement hasn’t ever been said to us – that we are a violent – and I would say we are not.

“There are some times when things happen. That’s why we have door staff.

“We hope the guy is not grievously hurt and that Nicky Eagle learns for the future.”

In 2008, the club was told by the city council to serve drinks in plastic glasses and was ordered to alter its entry policy to not allow customers in during the last hour of opening.

In March, the venue had its closing time reduced by a hour every night for three months, following a licence review by Oxford City Council.