Phillip Buckingham (24) lit the costume made from cotton wool and pillows following a boozy graduation party at the Linton-on-Ouse air base, in North Yorkshire.

His victim, Martin Geraghty (26), suffered 13 per cent burns in the incident, which followed a traditional piano-burning ceremony which was started by Second World War Spitfire pilots,Teesside Crown Court heard.

Mr Geraghty was still training at the time, but managed to graduate without delay despite the injuries to his uppper arms, which required skin grafts taken from his legs which have left him scarred for life.

Buckingham, of Fletton Avenue, Peterborough, admitted causing grievous bodily harm on the basis it was reckless assault committed as part of a "stupid, drunken prank which went very badly wrong".

The defendant, who works in research and development for Anglian Water, was a guest of two trainee pilots at the party in November and was dressed as a country gent for the fancy dress party.

Dan Cordey, prosecuting, said Mr Geraghty attended the graduation party for other fliers and drank four pints of lager and some shots of spirits, but was not drunk when he decided to leave.

He said: "He went outside and noticed the piano burning ceremony had started."

Mr Cordey said: "It led to a discussion about what would happen to Martin Geraghty if he attempted the feat in his fancy dress costume.

Buckingham, a social smoker, took a lighter from his pocket and set fire to the married father-of-one's costume.

Buckingham was arrested at the base and admitted being so drunk he could remember little about the event, having had up to eight pints of lager, a bottle of alcopop and five shots.

Judge Brian Forster gave Buckingham a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for one year, ordered him to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and pay his victim £7,500 compensation plus £900 prosecution costs.