A Kansas University student pleaded guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor battery charge for punching another student in the face and breaking his nose in July.

District Judge Peggy Kittel sentenced Andrew B. Dickinson, 22, who had initially faced a felony aggravated battery charge in the case, to serve six months on probation and complete an outpatient treatment program for alcohol. Dickinson’s defense attorney Hatem Chahine said Dickinson had been drinking early July 1 and hit the other man in the face in the 1000 block of Massachusetts Street.

The victim in the case had alleged Dickinson “sucker punched” him and that he had to go to the Lawrence Memorial Hospital to receive treatment for a broken nose.

“I regret my actions. It was a mistake,” Dickinson told Kittel in court. “I’m sorry for the victim.”

Assistant district attorney Mark Simpson said the victim supported the resolution of the case, and Kittel ordered Dickinson to pay the victim’s medical bills. Dickinson can perform community service work to cover court costs in the case. During the sentencing, Dickinson told Kittel the incident occurred as bars downtown were closing, and the judge said she often gives advice to parents and KU students to avoid that time of the night because of the number of intoxicated people leaving the area at once.

“I tell them to get home before the bars close,” Kittel said, “because things happen that you normally wouldn’t think you’d be involved in.”