A MAN who smashed a wine bottle over another’s head was told by a judge it was “absolute luck” the injuries he caused had not been serious.

The attack, by Wayne Richards, of Meredith Close, Tredegar, earned him a 16- month prison sentence.

Newport Crown Court was told Richards, 34, had been at his flat on March 13 this year with companions Joseph Poole and Lucy Edwards.

Richards had fallen asleep around 6pm, and four other men were let into the property by Mr Poole. When Richards woke, there had been drinking going on, and a window was broken. After the other men left, he confronted Mr Poole, angry at the damage and blaming him for letting them in.

Richards hit Mr Poole over the head with a wine bottle, which smashed on impact.

Mr Poole then left, calling an ambulance an hour later. He had two cuts behind an ear that required clearing of glass in hospital before being glued.

Richards was arrested.

Defending Richards, who pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, Jeremy Jenkins said he had been asking for help to kick his heroin addiction for many years, and the accommodation was the first place he could call his own.

Richards, he said, was adamant the incident would not have happened if the men had not been let in and caused damage he would have to answer for to his landlord.

The judge, Recorder Geraint Walters, told Richards: “Whatever the rights and wrongs of what your victim did, you had no right to inflict violence.”