A soldier's military career was ruined when he was "ferociously" attacked while on leave near his Scottish base and suffered potentially life-threatening injuries, a court heard.
Private Paul Bacon returned safely from service in Afghanistan to Fort George in the Highlands only to be attacked by a New Zealand backpacker in nearby Inverness while enjoying a spell of leave.
A soldier with the Royal Irish Regiment, he was knocked down by Levi Virbickas who then punched and kicked him and stamped and jumped on his head as he lay on the ground.
The 24-year-old victim suffered a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain in the assault near the Eastgate shopping centre in Inverness last November.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard he had planned to remain in the forces before seeking a career in the police or as a paramedic but has been left with permanent disabilities and is set to be medically discharged from the Army.
He told police: "Now I have no future to look forward to and will be dependent on the pension from the Army."
Private Bacon was on his way to see his girlfriend when he was attacked and punched in the face 15 to 20 times as he lay on the ground before Virbickas took a run and jumped full force on his head.
The 20-year-old New Zealander was then seen to check on the condition of his unconscious victim before stamping on his face up to 10 times and kicking him.
Virbickas admitted assaulting Mr Bacon to his severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life on November 4 last year at Falcon Square in Inverness.
He knocked him down after a fight and repeatedly punched, kicked, stamped and jumped on his head as he lay on the ground.
The victim suffered a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain in the assault. He was taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and was kept in for almost seven weeks.
Virbickas said he had drunk cocktails and beer at the club and could remember leaving alone, but had no further recollection of events.
He told officers he was not a violent person and suggested his drinks might have been spiked. A blood sample was tested for a wide range of drugs but results were negative.
The judge, Lady Dorrian, deferred sentence on first offender Virbickas for a background report and risk assessment and remanded him in custody.
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