A MAN who used a broken bottle in a drunken attack was today (Friday, April 11) given a suspended jail sentence.

Stuart Scott Haldane pleaded guilty at a previous hearing at Durham Crown Court to unlawful wounding and possessing an offensive weapon, arising from the incident outside the Masonic Hall in Station Road, Chester-le-Street.

The 43-year-old victim suffered a four-inch wound to his right forearm during the attack at 1.45am on July 26 last year.

Sentencing Haldane at Newcastle Crown Court, Judge Robert Adams said: "There was an admission by you there was a deliberate use of the bottle to threaten the victim . . . . but you never intended to cause the injury."

The court was told CCTV footage showed Haldane breaking the bottle and waving it at the victim in "self-defence", but it did not capture the moment the cut was inflicted.

The judge said: "There is no doubt you caused a deep and unpleasant wound to the arm, which exposed the muscle and left the victim with a long-term scar and tingling in the arm."

Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said Haldane and his girlfriend had met the victim and his partner for the first time the previous afternoon.

The two couples enjoyed a cordial time drinking together until the victim made a comment which upset Haldane's girlfriend and the other woman.

Trouble flared as they made their way to the victim's house to drink further.

Paul Cross, mitigating, said Haldane, who was remorseful, had a "terrible start" to life and suffered from ADHD. 

Haldane, 31, of Waldridge Road, Chester-le-Street, was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for 18 months - during which time he will be supervised.

He was also been placed on an electronically-monitored curfew from 9pm to 7am for three months and was ordered to pay the victim £200 in compensation.