A 20-YEAR-OLD man who shattered a glass bottle on a woman’s head after a night of heavy drinking has avoided jail.

Michael Williams, currently in the care of Portland Prison, was sentenced on Monday for an assault against Natasha Knapp, a month after he pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm.

Prosecuting, Mae Lee, told the court how Williams had consumed eight or nine pints of beer before he first approached Miss Knapp outside of Dragon Kiss, in Regent Street, Weston-super-Mare, on April 1.

She said: “He was carrying two full bottles of Corona. He walked over to Miss Knapp and offered her one of the bottles.”

After taking a sip of the beer Miss Knapp walked off with her partner, Steven Gallagher, but Williams followed the couple.

Ms Lee said: “He was told to leave and go away but he tried to push the bottle towards Mr Gallagher.

“He then swung one of the glass bottles around and struck Miss Knapp along the left side of her head, causing it to smash on impact.”

The victim was left with a cut to her left ear which had to be treated with glue and steri-strips.

Mitigating, David Bird, said Williams was under ‘a lot of pressure’ following the birth of his daughter just a month before the assault.

Williams had been released from prison a year earlier and had avoided trouble until the incident in April this year.

Mr Bird, said: “He was released from prison in March 2014 and, by and large, stayed out of trouble.

“This offence occurred when his child was one month old. He had been under a lot of pressure from his family to grow up, to live a law-abiding life.

“He doesn’t cope with stress very well and the stress became too much.”

Mr Bird said Williams has enrolled in an alcohol treatment programme while in prison, and said: “He wants to deal with his issues.

“He has the motivation to deal with them and he has the support of his partner, who is a very motivated and responsible young woman.

“There is a network of support out there for him, his family, his partner, and the probation service.”

Williams was sentenced to 26 weeks in custody, which was suspended for two years with a supervision requirement for the entire two years and an alcohol treatment requirement for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to Miss Knapp, an £80 victim surcharge and £85 costs.