A MAN who struck up a friendship with a fellow drinker smashed a bottle over his head after the pair went back to his house for more beer.

Matthew Hodges, 23, was yesterday locked up for the attack on Philip Lowther, 27, in Ferryhill, County Durham, last May.

Hodges, of Bury Road, Newton Aycliffe, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding and was jailed for 15 months by Judge George Moorhouse.

Judge Moorhouse told him: "You know that that kind of behaviour cannot be abided by the courts and fully justifies a custodial sentence."

Teesside Crown Court heard that the two men were in The Commercial pub in Ferryhill and struck up a friendship while playing pool.

The pair were said to have drunk a considerable amount before going back to a property in nearby High Street, where Hodges was living at the time.

Rod Hunt, prosecuting, said they continued to be on friendly terms until Mr Lowther - probably wrongly - formed the impression his host was on drugs and lectured him about substance misuse.

After a heated conversation, Mr Lowther is said to have got up to leave and picked up Hodges' keys and money, at which point a bottle was smashed over his head.

Mr Hunt said Mr Lowther ran into the street covered in blood and neighbours called the police.

Hodges ran off but was eventually overpowered after a violent struggle and claimed, in interview, that he had been attacked.

Defence barrister Philip Lancaster pleaded with Judge Moorhouse for leniency despite the seriousness of the offence.

"They were quite happy in each other's company until some point," he said. "Quite what that was, we may never know, but clearly the mood changed dramatically.

"The complainant realised he may have caused offence. It seems clear he did. He may have misinterpreted the situation.

"There is evidence that the keys and money were picked up and quite evidently the defendant believed they were about to be taken."