THE good atmosphere at a late night gathering at a flat was shattered as a party-goer began acting, “like a man possessed”, a court heard.

For some unknown reason Sonny Coglan, who was among about a dozen people drinking at the premises in Coxhoe, near Durham, suddenly turned violent, in the early hours of May 15, last year.

Durham Crown Court was told he began shouting threats and attacked a man, before throwing a book down stairs, at people below.

Deborah Smithies, prosecuting, said as the door was locked, he threatened to start stabbing people if it was not opened within the following 30 seconds, and, when it was, he left.

But as he was walking away, something was shouted to him from an upstairs window of the flat, in Commercial Road, so he turned on his heels and stormed back into the premises.

He armed himself with a spindle from the stair bannister and used it in an attack on the man who had shouted the remarks.

Miss Smithies said the victim was kicked and punched to the floor and suffered two cuts to the back of his head, a bloodied nose, scratches to his face, plus heavy bruising round his body.

Coglan then turned his attention on a young woman in the kitchen, throwing a kettle at her.

It struck her in the face, splitting her nose open and causing a cut to her upper lip, and she was knocked unconscious due to the force of the kettle, on impact.

Miss Smithies said the victim has been left with heavy scarring and has been reluctant to go out, due to her appearance, suffering a loss of confidence, and earnings, as she works in the beauty industry.

Coglan, 24, of South Church Road, Bishop Auckland, previous denied charges of wounding with intent, assault causing actual bodily harm and affray.

But on the day of trial, his guilty pleas to unlawful wounding and assault causing actual bodily harm, were acceptable and formal not guilty verdicts were recorded on the other charges.

The prosecution also chose not to proceed with affray and assault charges against a 28-year-old co-accused.

John Turner, mitigating, said the defendant’s problems have arisen when he drinks heavily, and, while in custody, he has sought to address both his drinking and anger management.

Mr Turner said the defendant has, “a good work ethos”, and has a job lined up at a lighting factory.

A probation report described him as coming across as a “pleasant” individual, when sober, taking on a darker side after drinking with friends.

But, jailing him for a total of four years and four months, Judge Simon Hickey said he had only just decided against dealing with Cogden as a “dangerous” offender, which would have led to a longer sentence.

He also made a restraining order preventing Cogden from approaching or trying to contact the woman attacked with the kettle, indefinitely.