BRAVE members of the public stepped in after a drunk man smashed a glass over his victim's head, a court was told.

Lee Scrivin, of Westham Road Weymouth, was sentenced at Dorchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to unlawful wounding.

Simon Edwards, prosecuting, told the court how on October 10 last year, Scrivin, 27, was in the Golden Lion pub in Weymouth with two friends in the early hours of the morning.

The court was told how Scrivin had been drinking heavily.

The victim, Robbie Poots, was also in the pub with his partner and when she tried to walk past Scrivin and his friends, one of them blocked her way so she had to force her way past, before one of them grabbed her arm.

The court heard how Mr Poots then approached one of Scrivin’s friends at the bar and said ‘there’s no need for that'.

The friend responded by asking Mr Poots if he wanted to take it outside, Mr Poots said no before returning to his table.

Mr Edwards said Scrivin and his friends then proceeded to stare at Mr Poots and his partner, who tried to ignore what was happening.

Mr Poots and one of Scrivin’s friends then approached each other and a scuffle ensued before they were separated by members of the public.

Mr Edwards said one person then noticed Scrivin holding a glass and he rushed towards Mr Poots and smashed it over his head.

A male member of the public then stood in front of Mr Poots to protect him from further attack.

A woman then noticed that Scrivin had another glass in his hand, and she asked him to give her the glass and when he ignored her, she took it from his hand.

Scrivin was then detained by door staff before he was arrested.

The court heard how Mr Poots had a cut to his forehead which required staples and the attack left him with permanent scarring as well as leaving him with long-term psychological side effects.

Timothy Shorter, mitigating, said that Scrivin was so drunk he could not remember the attack and that he is remorseful for what he did.

Mr Shorter also told the court that eyewitnesses said that Scrivin ‘launched’ or ‘threw’ the glass, rather than smashing it directly on Mr Poots’ head.

Judge Jonathan Fuller, commended the members of the public who intervened, hailing them as ‘brave’.

Speaking about Scrivin’s actions, he said: “There is no excuse for it. You were seen to pick up a second glass, you were seen as aggressive.

“There is really no reason to do what you did at all. It was all down to the drink.”

Judge Fuller sentenced Scrivin to 16 months in prison.