A MAN with a history of violence was warned by a judge he faces a certain custodial sentence after he admitted carrying out a bottle attack which hit his victim in the face.

Aaron Richards caused injuries around one of Alex Kemp’s eyes after throwing the weapon at him in Newport city centre.

The Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Eleri Rees said: “It was lucky it didn’t go into his eye.”

The 26-year-old admitted wounding his victim in Queensway on July 15 this year.

He also pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court to having an offensive weapon. After he admitted the offences, Judge Rees said to Richards’ barrister James Hartson: “He has quite a track record for violence.”

The court heard how the defendant has previous convictions for wounding and battery, the latter committed during “an unpleasant incident” in which he had spat at a former partner.

Mr Hartson admitted: “The custody threshold has been passed.”

He urged the judge to adjourn sentence so that a pre-sentence report could be prepared by the Probation Service.

Mr Hartson said: “My client is in full-time employment, he is in a stable relationship and has recently become a father for the first time.”

Prosecutor Bethan Evans told the court the victim suffered a cut above and below his eye and how the attack was captured by CCTV cameras.

The judge said: “Although I am ordering a report to be prepared, the defendant must not have his expectations raised.

“It is an immediate custodial term that I have in mind.”

Richards was charged with the more serious charge of wounding with intent but Miss Evans said the defendant’s guilty pleas were acceptable to the crown.

Richards, of Station Road, Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, was granted conditional bail and will be electronically tagged and be subject of a curfew between 8pm and 7am.

The judge said she the defendant has to wear a tag and observe the curfew so that he is “not out drinking and out causing further trouble”.

A sentence date of August 24 was set for Cardiff Crown Court.