TWO men who broke a student’s jaw when they attacked him at a Bradford pub have been given three months to save up £3,000 to offer him in compensation.

Former amateur boxer, Jamie Lovric, delivered a heavy punch to the left side of Connor MacDonald’s head in the smoking area outside The Windmill in Wibsey High Street on October 9 last year, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Jamie Gray then threw a bottle at the 18-year-old student and aimed several punches at him, prosecutor Duncan Ritchie said.

Mr MacDonald, a part-time singer, sustained a double fracture to his jaw that needed surgery to insert metal plates into it.

He was unable to eat properly for weeks and his singing job was on hold for two and a half months, the court heard yesterday.

Lovric, 27, of Weston Fold, Buttershaw, Bradford, and Gray, 25, of Ivy Terrace, Buttershaw, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr MacDonald, who was at the pub with friends to play pool and watch an England football match.

Mr Ritchie said it was unclear why Lovric punched Mr MacDonald, after asking him his name.

He accused the student of sending threatening text messages to a woman but Mr MacDonald had sent no texts and had not even heard of her.

After hitting Mr MacDonald, Lovric told him: “We’re even now.”

Gray then threw a beer bottle, that Mr MacDonald dodged, and directed several punches at him.

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The badly injured student was taken to hospital by the police.

Gray’s barrister, Tim Capstick, said he was a man of previous good character. He had resigned from his job as a customer service adviser with Santander before he was dismissed over the court case.

Ashok Khullar, for Lovric, said he was a self-employed decorator. He was anxious to pay compensation to Mr MacDonald.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, deferred sentence until September 30 to give both defendants time to raise £1,500 each for Mr MacDonald, as a possible alternative to going to prison.

Judge Thomas said the pair had caused the student nasty injuries and he must put him first when considering what sentences to pass.

“He is a real victim who suffered very real injuries,” he said.