A man who hit a customer at a Suffolk pub on the back of the head with a beer glass when he saw him with his arm round his brother’s neck during a scuffle has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Sentencing Ben Mears, Recorder Guy Ayers described the attack on Jack Burton at The Five Bells pub in Brandon as “cowardly” and said he had escaped an immediate prison sentence by the “merest of whiskers”.

Sentencing his younger brother, Jack Mears, for an offence of assault, Recorder Ayers described his behaviour as “boorish and childish”.

He said the brothers had drunk a significant amount of alcohol when Jack Mears became involved in a “very childish” argument with Mr Burton.

He said Jack Mears had been aggressive and used violence towards Mr Burton and Ben Mears had used a beer glass he was holding to strike Mr Burton on the back of the head, causing a cut which required stitches.

He said the offences were committed in May 2019 and he was concerned that although the brothers were interviewed by police shortly after the incident, they had to wait until October last year to learn they were being charged.

“I simply don’t understand why it took so long for this case to go through the system,” said the Recorder.

Ben Mears, 28, of Falmouth Street, Newark, admitted wounding Mr Burton and was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.

He was also given a 30-day rehabilitation order and ordered to pay £2,500 compensation.

Jack Mears, 25, of Yew Tree Close, Mildenhall, admitted assaulting Mr Burton causing him actual bodily harm and was given an 18-month community order, as well as ordered to do 175 hours unpaid work.

He was also given a 30-day rehabilitation order and ordered to pay £500 compensation.

Barnaby Shaw, for Ben Mears, said his client had hit Mr Burton with the glass after seeing him with his arm round his brother’s neck.

He said it was “stupid and reckless” of Ben Mears not to put down the beer glass before he intervened and he bitterly regretted what he’d done.

Philip Farr, for Jack Mears, said the incident had been “a scuffle over a girl which got out of hand”.

He said his client had dragged Mr Burton to the ground and had then continued to scuffle with him, causing grazes to Mr Burton’s knees.