A Colne man who smashed a pint glass in his friend’s face the day after an engagement party has been given a suspended prison sentence at Burnley Crown Court.
Christopher Hughes (31), of Burnley Road, admitted unlawful wounding and was jailed for 12 months, suspended for 18 months, and fined £700. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to victim Mark Milner.
Prosecutor Mr Stephen Parker told the court that the two men had been at an engagemment party the night before the offence and arranged to meet the following day in Colne. They had four or five pints and were sat in a pub at around 3-40pm when, said Mr Parker, Hughes’s attitude suddenly changed and he started to threaten Mr Milner, picking up a pint glass and hitting him in the face with it.
Mr Philip Holden (defending) said that while the offence crossed the custody threshold, there were enough circumstances why the sentence should be suspended.
He said Hughes deserved credit for an early guilty plea, he had shown remorse, he was in full-time employment, he had stopped drinking and he was the sole carer for his grandmother.
Sentencing, Judge Simon Newell said there was no logic or rationale to the offence.
“There is nothing in your history or background to suggest your behaviour is like this. It is solely drink that led to this. To hit someone in the face with a pint glass is a serious offence of public disorder,” he said.