A PONTYPOOL man who smashed a glass into a man's head in a pub brawl and then threw a brick through a window has avoided a jail term.

Wyndham Bennett, aged 22, was drinking with his brother and another man at the Hafodyrynys Inn in Crumlin on November 13, 2015.

Unemployed Bennett, of Broadway, started drinking at about 6.30pm that night and had consumed six or seven Strongbow drinks by closing time.

At 11.15pm, Bennett’s brother tried to pick up the pub’s pool table, which they and another friend had been playing on earlier.

A group of men went to confront the three who were making “loud and threatening” noise and a scuffle followed.

But prosecuting, Stuart McLeese had said Bennett had told police later he was merely "warmed up" and not drunk.

Bennett smashed a small spirits glass on the head of one of the men. The victim found later he had suffered a cut.

On leaving the pub Bennett threw a brick through a window, causing about £200 of damage.

Police arrested him later that night and he admitted he had a small amount of cannabis.

Defending Bennett, Andrew Jones said the defendant had said he was trying to calm his brother down before things got out of hand.

Bennett admitted causing assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possessing cannabis and criminal damage earlier.

Newport Crown Court heard he already has one daughter and another child is expected within the next few weeks, but money will now be docked from his £400-a-month benefits to pay prosecution costs and compensation.

Judge Philip Richards told Bennett: “This was very foolish behaviour on your part and indeed dangerous behaviour and it could have resulted in more serious injury.

“During the course of what appears to have been a drunken night you smashed the public house window and you also made things worse by being in possession of an illegal drug, which you chose to take with you to the public house.”

But he said he was wary of sending Bennett immediately to prison because of the impact it would have to his family.

He sentenced Bennett to 20 weeks in prison for the assault, gave a four-week consecutive sentence for the criminal damage and another four-week consecutive sentence for having cannabis.

That 28-week sentence will be suspended for 12 months but Bennett must also undertake rehabilitation activity sessions and 160 hours of unpaid work, to be completed over 12 months.

The judge also ordered Bennett to pay £600 in prosecution costs at a rate of £40 every month.

That same amount must also be paid, at the same rate, as a surcharge.