A teenage boy who left a former UK ambassador to the US with “horrific injuries” after an attack at a London tube station has been handed a 12-month intensive referral order.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, got into an altercation with Sir Christopher Meyer after the former diplomat pushed past him at Victoria station and called him a “bastard”.

The boy, then 16, lost his temper and rushed at Meyer, pushing him from behind.

Meyer, a former chair of the Press Complaints Commission and ex-director of communications for Sir John Major, fell to the ground and lost consciousness before being taken to hospital, Uxbridge youth court heard on Thursday.

The defendant pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm without intent to Meyer on 11 July 2018.

The district judge, Deborah Wright, said: “The injuries in this case were quite clearly horrific. The assault has had a profound impact upon him both physically and emotionally.

“The victim has injuries which have left him with scarring. He does not know whether or not he will suffer permanent disfigurement.”

Wright said the attack passed the custody threshold but the defendant’s good character and remorse meant she would not pass a custodial sentence.

Handing him the intensive referral order, she said: “You have been very fortunate today.” The defendant was also told to pay £500 in compensation.

Katie Weiss, prosecuting, said Meyer had been on a northbound Victoria line train from Vauxhall when it reached Victoria. She added: “He was confronted by the defendant at the train doors, who was getting on.

“A witness says she saw a verbal dispute between the two, it appears that Meyer nudged past the defendant calling him a ‘bastard’.

“It seems that witnesses heard the defendant say, ‘I’m not having this’, and got off the train then ran towards Sir Christopher and with both hands pushed him in the back with significant force.

“He fell to the platform and was knocked unconscious, sustaining a number of injuries.”

Meyer was treated in hospital for his injuries including facial bruising, a cut finger and cuts around his eye sustained when his glasses broke. He was in hospital for six days and underwent a number of operations.

In his victim impact statement, Meyer said the incident had caused him to cancel various engagements and business meetings, including an appointment with the BBC about Donald Trump’s visit to the UK.

He said the attack had been “deeply distressing” for him and his family, adding: “The injuries I suffered may well leave permanent disfigurement. There is also a lasting emotional impact.”

The court heard the teenager stayed at the scene until police arrived. When questioned by officers, the teenager admitted pushing Meyer, who was the UK’s ambassador to the US between 1997 and 2003, and wanted to apologise to him.

Brad Lawlor, defending, said the teenager had achieved good GCSE results and was determined to get back on track. He told the court the defendant, who lives in Hillingdon, west London, had lost his temper, and appealed for a community sentence.

“This was a momentary lapse of judgment by the defendant, clearly a loss of temper,” Lawlor said. “He has shown himself to be an educated, driven young man keen to rehabilitate himself and make right his actions.”