AN RAF hopeful who floored a man in a mallet attack at a McDonald’s avoided jail today.

Eric Clark, 20, also repeatedly punched and kicked Dylan Lamb, 20, in Glasgow’s Castlemilk last October.

Clark pleaded guilty to the assault to Mr Lamb’s injury and was ordered to do 140 hours of unpaid work by Sheriff Alayne Swanson.

The conviction means Clark, who was in the process of joining the RAF, must wait 12 months before reapplying.

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The court heard Mr Lamb and his brother John had gone to the McDonald's.

Clark grabbed a black-handled mallet from his car and entered the restaurant.

Prosecutor Mark Allan said: “Dylan Lamb was repeatedly struck on the head.

“He fought back before being knocked to the ground with the blows.”

The stricken victim was then repeatedly punched and kicked before staff and members of the public intervened.

Mr Lamb managed to get up and grab a frying basket from the restaurant before running at Clark.

Clark left the restaurant, but police later tracked him down at his home in Castlemilk.

The court heard the victim suffered a wound to his cheekbone.

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Defence lawyer, Ross Anderson, defending, told the court Clark has a “promising career in the RAF” ahead of him.

He added: “Mr Clark indicated to me that a year after conviction, he can restart his career and he has the support of his Supervising Officer. 

“He is sorry about what he was involved in and is trying to distance himself from those individuals he was involved with.”

Sheriff Swanson told Clark that the offence was a “serious matter.”

She said: “I’m pleased to see you have taken responsibility for your actions.

“Your most telling comment in your report is that you wish you had walked away.

“I hope you have learned from this experience and will do so if faced with such an incident again.”