An Ulladulla man who broke a man's jaw in an unprovoked assault at a Canberra nightclub could not recall the attack.
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Benjamin Chapman, 25, instead heard he had punched the victim after being told of footage of the incident.
He contacted the police and, during an interview, admitted he was the person in the video.
Chapman pleaded guilty in the ACT Supreme Court to recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The court heard Chapman and another man had travelled from Ulladulla to Canberra to visit a friend on April 1, 2017.
The men drank and went to a football game before going to a Civic nightclub.
CCTV footage - recorded about 10.40pm – shows one of Chapman's friends bump into and then hug the victim.
Chapman then shakes hands with the victim before, without warning or provocation, punching him in the face.
The force of the blow causes the victim to fall backwards and fall on the floor.
The victim had plates and screws surgically inserted to repair a fracture to the left side of his jaw.
A victim impact statement said the man had required ongoing orthodontic treatment and expects to undergo further surgery to remove a tooth and the plates that had been inserted.
"It must be recognised that the assault on the victim was completely unprovoked and has had a significant impact upon him," Justice David Mossop said in sentencing Chapman last month.
"Both the short and long-term consequences of being the victim of a violent and unprovoked assault must be acknowledged.
"No sentence that the court imposes will rectify the consequences of the loss of bodily integrity inflicted upon the victim."
The court heard Chapman had previous convictions for violent offences, including affray and assault.
Justice Mossop found a broken jaw fell at the lower end of the spectrum for harm captured under the charge of grievous bodily harm.
The judge found the attack had been a single strike, not premeditated, and influenced by a significant degree of intoxication.
"Having regard to his previous history of violence when intoxicated, the offender must have been aware of his propensity in that regard," Justice Mossop said.
The court heard Chapman did not remember the incident, although he had seen the footage and expressed shame and remorse at his behaviour.
Justice Mossop accepted that Chapman recognised the connect between violence and his use of alcohol, and had undertaken some psychological counselling after his offending conduct.
He was assessed as being at a low-risk of reoffending.
Justice Mossop sentenced Chapman to 15 months jail, to be fully suspended upon entering a 30-month good behaviour order, with 300 hours community service.
The judge said the sentence provided strong incentives for Chapman to stop excessive drinking and violence or he would be jailed
"On the other hand, if he can remain free of further offending conduct as a result of avoiding excessive alcohol consumption and the violence that it appears to provoke, the community's interest will be advanced."
