A THUG in a Clockwork Orange costume who punched an accounts worker dressed as Vicky Pollard at their office party was spared jail today (January 9).

John Ricketts, aged 31, clashed with Samantha Simmons after she asked him to move away from her on the dancefloor at the Leather Bottle pub, Heron Hill, Belvedere.

Miss Simmons pushed Ricketts and he hit her in the mouth, leaving her with blood pouring over her pink chav' tracksuit costume.

Southwark Crown Court heard the 21-year-old, who was dressed as the Little Britain character, suffered permanent damage to one of her front teeth and needed four stitches to her mouth.

Ricketts was sacked from his foreman job at Erith-based firm Batt Cables following the attack on December 22, 2006.

Judge Stephen Robbins ordered him to carry out 180 hours unpaid work and to pay £500 compensation to Miss Simmons.

Ricketts, of Frinstead Road, Erith, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.