A NIGHTCLUB bouncer who assaulted a male and female patron outside a popular Prahran venue has been handed a suspended jail sentence and fined $10,000.

In handing down the penalty, Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg told security guard Ahmed Popal that his attack on the man and woman outside the 161 nightclub was vicious and cowardly.

Popal, now aged 25, first assaulted the male victim after words were exchanged.

The male victim ended up on the ground where he was assaulted.

He was further punched to the back of the head as he was being frogmarched away.

During the assault, the male victim's female friend tried to intervene and she was also punched.

CCTV footage released by the court shows the graphic nightclub incident.

Mr Rozencwajg said he did not accept defence counsel Chris Dane's submissions that Popal felt threatened at the time.

The magistrate said Popal was a professional security guard who had been trained to quell and avoid violent confrontations.

He said the fact Popal was a security guard was an aggravating factor.

Mr Rozencwajg said it was a concern that Popal was back before the courts after a previous appearance for violence offences.

Mr Dane submitted that the release of the CCTV footage to the media would be an additional penalty to his client in the form of public humiliation.

In agreeing to release the footage, Mr Rozencwajg said he considered the release as a form of accountability and an extension of our open court system.

Popal pleaded guilty to affray, intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing serious injury and assault.

Mr Rozencwajg handed Popal a seven-month jail term suspended for two years, along with the fine.

Originally published as Bouncer's attack 'vicious, cowardly'