A JEALOUS boyfriend bottled a man who bought his girlfriend a drink after forgetting he was holding the bottle, a court heard yesterday (Thursday January 9).

A man was left permanently scarred after buying a drink for an old school friend he spotted in a Darlington nightclub in August last year.

The man – who was out with his own girlfriend – was bottled in the face by 26-year-old Thomas Davison, who received an 18-week suspended jail sentence for the attack when he was sentenced at Darlington Magistrates Court.

Vicki Wilson, prosecuting, said: “He was in a bar with his girlfriend when he saw a girl he recognised from school.

“The defendant was refusing to buy her a drink so he offered to buy her one and Davison then thought he was after his girlfriend.”

She said Davison had spent the rest of the night staring at his victim and had verbally abused him.

On his way out of the club, the man confronted Davison about his behaviour and Davison reacted by hitting him in the face with the bottle he was holding, causing a deep wound that required stitching.

Sonny Lawson, mitigating, said in the heat of the moment, Davison, of Vancouver Street, Darlington, had forgotten he was holding a bottle.

He added: “This can only be described as a moment of utter madness and drink was no doubt a factor.”

Mr Lawson said Davison wanted to find his victim in order to shake his hand and apologise for the incident.

As well as the suspended sentence, Davison, who pleaded guilty to wounding and inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent, was ordered to pay compensation of £750, costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £80.