A pub-goer who glassed another customer in the face over a remark about his weight has avoided going straight to prison for the drunken assault.

Christopher Morgan appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday to be sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The 36-year-old had admitted the offence at any earlier hearing before magistrates last June.

Prosecutor Simon Gladwell played the court CCTV footage of the attack, which took place at Nine Jars, in Haverhill, at about 10pm on Sunday, August 25, 2019.

Mr Gladwell said Morgan, of Churchfields Drive, Steeple Bumpstead, had been ferrying a round of drinks between the bar and his table when an old school acquaintance, Lee Brown, nodded and said: "Alright? You look like you've put on weight."

When Morgan returned to the bar and asked what he had said, Mr Brown leaned in and repeated the statement, prompting Morgan to hit him in the face with an empty pint glass.

Witnesses saw Morgan land another five or six punches on Mr Brown, who was left bleeding from around the eye and ear.

Mr Brown was later persuaded to visit hospital after suffering headaches, nausea and poor concentration at work.

He was examined for cuts around the left eye but did not require surgery.

A female bystander suffered a cut foot during the incident, for which Morgan later took full responsibility after voluntarily reporting to his local police station to be interviewed.

Peter Spary, mitigating, said Morgan had turned himself into police within 24 hours and had later written a letter of apology to his victim.

Judge Rupert Overbury told Morgan the assault appeared "completely out of character", adding: "What made you flip out like that must have been a bit more than the remark made, and I dare say it was due to the amount of alcohol you drank."

Judge Overbury said the attack was unprovoked and aggravated by the setting, time of day, his intoxication and that a bystander was injured, but added that the incident was not premeditated and that Morgan's remorse, lack of similar previous convictions and guilty plea had acted in his favour.

Morgan was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 180 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay Mr Brown £500 in compensation.