One of the country’s leading heart disease researchers escaped a jail sentence on Wednesday after breaking the arm of the hotel manager at the New Inn on Tresco. James Scott,a professor from Imperial College in London admitted he broke Robin Lawson’s arm in a drunken rage.

Truro Crown Court heard that the fifty seven year old would have faced professional ruin if he had received a custodial sentence.

Mr Scott from Chalfont St Peter in Buckinghamshire had previously pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Robin Lawson on December 28th while staying on Scilly with his fiancee. He was due to get married the next day on St Mary’s.

Judge Philip Wassall sentenced Mr Scott to serve a three year community rehabilitation order. He said “On one extreme, there is a lifetime of dedication and intense hard work and outstanding achievement in the field of medical research.”

“It is not an exaggeration to say that your work is saving lives.”

“At the other extreme are the facts of this offence. Mr Lawson, who was simply trying to do his job, was violently attacked by you in what can only be described as an alcohol-induced anger, and received serious injuries as a result.”

The professor was ordered to go to anger management courses and continue treatment for his alcohol problem, and to pay ?180 costs.

Ron Ede for the prosecution told the court that Scott and his fianc’e had arrived at the New Inn on Tresco on December 27. The following night Scott had drunk heavily and argued with his fianc’e in their room. She left the room and went down to the hotel bar but Scott followed shortly afterwards and slapped her in the face, Mr Ede said.

Later Mr Lawson, the hotel’s duty manager, was called to deal with another disturbance. He tried to stop Scott from entering a hotel room to retrieve his car keys by putting his right arm in the way.

Mr Lawson recalled in a statement read to the court how Scott broke his arm. He said: “With his right hand he firmly gripped my elbow. Rapidly and decisively he rotated my elbow through 360 degrees.” There were two loud cracks and Mr Lawson felt “massive pain”. His arm was left hanging “totally useless”.

Mr Ede read evidence from a consultant who examined the broken arm, who said “considerable force” would have been required. Mr Lawson was due to have his final hospital appointment for the fracture today but will continue to need physiotherapy, the prosecutor told the court.

Geoffrey Birch, defending, said his client’s behaviour had been “little short of astonishing”. He added: “What should have been a joyful and memorable celebration became distorted into a nightmare for all those involved.”

Scott felt “very deeply ashamed and remorseful” about his actions and had already “paid deeply” for them, he said.

Mr Birch said the General Medical Council would probably have struck Scott off the medical register in the event of a prison sentence being imposed, resulting in him losing his position.

The incident on Scilly meant Scott’s wedding did not go ahead as planned, but he still intends to marry his fianc’e, who attended court on Wednesday.