A ‘COWARDLY’ attacker who thrust a pint glass into the face of “the wrong man” is starting a 70-month jail sentence.

Christopher Young thought he saw a man, with whom he was in an earlier scuffle, leaving a bar/night club in Bishop Auckland, in the early hours of December 27.

Durham Crown Court heard not wanting to “leave it there”, he followed the man, as he made his way with friends from Lacey’s.

Young, who grabbed an empty pint glass from a table as he went, approached from behind and thrust it once into the innocent man’s face.

Realising it was a case of mistaken identity, he stopped the attack there, leaving the victim with wounds above an eye and on his forehead, the shape of a glass rim.

The court was told the victim he will have permanent facial scarring as a result.

Ian West, prosecuting, said the victim had the misfortune to be wearing a red t-shirt, the same as the earlier dance floor combatant.

Mr West said after the initial scuffle was settled, Young grabbed a bottle and struck that man on the head, swinging wildly, before being restrained by other customers.

Young, 28, of Woodhouses, St Helen Auckland, admitted wounding with intent and assault causing actual bodily harm.

Andrew Finlay, mitigating, said it was “wholly out of character” for the defendant, who has no previous convictions, and has held down a good job with a recycling company for several years.

Presenting testimonials from his employer and a neighbour to the court, Mr Finlay said both spoke of his “positive good character”.

Jailing him, Judge Christopher Prince told Young the glassing was “a cowardly attack, with a significant degree of pre-meditation.”