A talented golfer from Enfield was jailed for six years today for a stabbing another man outside a nightclub.

Spencer Davis, 22, of St Andrews Road, knifed Ben Tindall when trouble broke out among people leaving the venue at 3am on June 16, 2012.

Davis was being egged on by others who shouted: "Get the shank out," before he stabbed 22-year-old Mr Tindall between the ribs on the right side, puncturing his lung.

Prosecutor Sally Mealing-McLeod told St Albans crown court that the victim, who had just started work as a recruitment consultant, had gone out that night to celebrate his brother Alex's 21st birthday.

As he left Faces nightclub in Hoddesdon, another brother Harry, who was drunk and incapable, was stumbling into other people.

A fight broke out, which did not involve the victim. But Mr Tindall ended up between two vehicles and was punched to the ground. Davis then punched and stabbed him. He did not realise he had been knifed until he stood up and saw blood.

An ambulance was called and, in hospital, Mr Tindall's chest was drained to remove fluid from his lung.

The two-centimetre wound was treated and he was discharged from hospital six days later. He was in pain for a considerable time, the judge was told.

Three days after the stabbing, Davis went voluntarily to the police station. He made no comment in police interviews and was identified as the attacker on a police video identification parade seen by the victim, who was in his hospital bed.

When Davis was interviewed a second time, he said Mr Tindall and his brother, who also identified him, must have been mistaken.

Davis was convicted of wounding Mr Tindall with intent. He had a previous conviction for a public order offence in October 2008 when stones were thrown at a group of people dressed as goths. He also had a warning for causing criminal damage in June 2007.

Defence barrister Kriakos Argropoulos said Davis still maintains he did not carry out the stabbing.

"He bitterly regrets going out that night. Since the incident his father says he has withdrawn into himself. He is very, very quiet," he said.

He handed the judge a reference from a man who sponsors Davis at golf.

Jailing him, Judge Marie Catterson said: "The result of what you did could have been very much worse. That is no particular thanks to you. To use a knife as a weapon in the circumstances in which you did makes you highly culpable. You were in a highly volatile situation of developing disorder as people were coming out of the club."