A CURRYS sales assistant headbutted a colleague after a late-night drinking session and ‘banter’ between the pair turned violent.

Father-of-one Patrick Golledge pleaded guilty to assaulting James Cawthorne in Weston town centre.

Mr Cawthorne’s teeth were damaged by the headbutt and he has had to pay hundreds of pounds on dental work since.

May Li, prosecuting, said staff at the Marchfields Way branch of Currys decided to go out for a few drinks after work on October 12.

Five employees drank at several pubs before heading to Sultan’s takeaway in Alexandra Parade.

On the way there, Golledge tried twice to pick up Mr Cawthorne against his wishes using a fireman’s lift, knocking him over.

After continuing to walk towards the eatery, Mr Cawthorne realised he had lost his cigarettes and asked Golledge to go back and fetch them seeing as they had fallen out when the defendant tried to lift him.

However the pair argued and grappled before Golledge headbutted Mr Cawthorne.

Ms Li said: “This was done very quickly and Mr Cawthorne didn’t have time to move.

“He felt immediate pain. It was a totally unsuspected and unnecessary act and Mr Cawthorne was shocked.

“He felt his tooth and it was noticeably pushed back and wobbly. His mouth was also bleeding.”

Golledge apologised and tried to shake Mr Cawthorne’s hand, saying ‘I have had a few drinks. It happens’. Mr Cawthorne refused to shake the 23-year-old’s hand.

Mr Cawthorne had to take a week off with stress in January as he found continuing to work with Golledge difficult to do.

He has also had to pay more than £900 in dental work to repair his teeth following the attack.

James Mumford, defending, said: “Mr Golledge has expressed his regret and genuine remorse for what he did. It appears with Mr Golledge when he drinks, he has a problem.

“There’s much that is sensible about him, but the monkey on his back is that when he drinks it triggers something inside him.

“What appeared to start out as banter obviously ended in an entirely inappropriate fashion.”

Golledge used to live in Brue Close in Weston but has since moved to Argentina Place in Portishead.

He was ordered to pay £600 compensation, £80 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Magistrates also handed him a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.