A teenager who punched a student repeatedly in the face after he was spared custody for whacking a police officer on the head with handcuffs has again walked free from Court.

Najmul Hoque, 19, was told by a judge last September he was very lucky not to be going behind bars for causing Sergeant Mark Milner actual bodily harm and escaping lawful custody.

He was sentenced to nine months’ detention suspended for 12 months, with 200 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £250 compensation to Sgt Milner. On October 22, Hoque, of Calderdale Close, Shipley, attacked Leeds Metropolitian University student, Matthew Graham at Bradford Interchange.

Prosecutor Andrew Petterson told Bradford Crown Court yesterday that Mr Graham and his friends were followed by Hoque and three other youths who were shouting insults at people in Bradford city centre.

Mr Graham was pushed in the lower back and butted by one of Hoque’s friends. He was punched by Hoque and left with blood dripping from his face.

While Mr Graham was at the station ticket barrier, Hoque again approached and punched him up to three times in the face.

Mr Petterson said Hoque and his friends were arrested shortly afterwards on Sunbridge Road, Bradford. They appeared drunk. Mr Graham’s injuries included a gash to his eyebrow.

Hoque pleaded guilty to causing him actual bodily harm. The court heard that Hoque freed himself from handcuffs when he was arrested on suspicion of assault on May 4 last year and put in a police vehicle. He hit Sgt Milner on the head causing cuts then boasted about the attack at the police station.

Hoque’s barrister, Dapinder Singh, told the court yesterday he was on a course at Bradford College.

He was complying with all the demands of the suspended sentence order and had completed more than half the unpaid work. Mr Singh said Hoque was seeking help after binge drinking on vodka and becoming depressed.

Judge Shaun Spencer QC sentenced him to a 12 month community order with an eight-week curfew order and an extra 40 hours’ unpaid work.

Judge Spencer told Hoque: “You are well on the way to turning over a new leaf.”