A woman was headbutted in the face at a Spalding nightclub after she tried to make an early exit from a birthday party.
The victim, Elena Kiaulenaite, asked Mircea Toma’s girlfriend if she could collect some things from Toma’s car.
Paul Wood, prosecuting, said Ms Kiaulenaite asked for the car keys and it seemed “there was a bit of a falling out” and Toma believed she was spoiling things.
Mr Wood said Toma headbutted Ms Kiaulenaite in the face and she struck him in self defence.
The club’s security staff separated the pair.
Mr Wood said the headbutt left Ms Kiaulenaite with blood coming from her nose and a chipped tooth.
Magistrates watched the incident on the club’s CCTV footage before fining Toma £140 and ordering him to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
Toma, of Winsover Road, Spalding, pleaded guilty to assault by beating on June 9 when he appeared in court on Thursday.
Solicitor Daven Naghen, mitigating, said Toma’s girlfriend was holding her birthday party and the perception was that Ms Kiaulenaite was “ruining the night for everybody else”.
He said there was an exchange of words between the two women before the assault took place.
“Whatever the rights and wrongs of his actions, clearly it wasn’t premeditated,” said Mr Naghen. “This happened in the heat of the moment.”
Mr Naghen said the headbutt was a single blow – and straight afterwards Toma had his hands by his side.
He said Toma hadn’t intended the headbutt to make contact, but admitted wanting to scare her.
“Ironically that would still be assault, but not battery,” he said.
Mr Naghen said Toma had no previous convictions.