A MAN who punched his mother’s partner, causing him to break his nose, has been spared jail.

Finton O’Brien lashed out at the victim, who fell and injured himself in the March 9 incident in Darlington.

Teesside Crown Court heard the 23-year-old defendant had problems with drink and gambling, but his barrister Uzma Khan said he was not a violent man.

She said: “There was a lack of pre-meditation. It was a single blow and an isolated one-off incident which he has clearly learnt from and will not repeat again.”

O’Brien, of Feetham Avenue, Darlington, admitted a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm on the day of his trial.

Ms Khan said were he to be jailed immediately it would have “devastating consequences” for his family and said any prison sentence could be suspended.

Judge Tony Briggs said it had been a “close run thing”, but he had decided that the sentence could be suspended.

O’Brien was given an 18 month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and will do 150 hours unpaid work.

The judge said: “You must understand this is your last chance in respect of this matter.”