A DISPUTE over a pint ended with a man being knocked unconscious in an Accrington pub.

Blackburn magistrates heard when the victim came round he could hear his eight-year-old daughter screaming and immediately took hold of her to reassure her he was alright.

Darys Anthony Lyddon, 30, of Kenfig Hill, Bridgend, Mid-Glamorgan, pleaded guilty to assaulting Shaun MacMillan causing him grievous bodily harm.

He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £250 compensation and complete an alcohol treatment requirement.

Pam Ward, prosecuting, said Mr MacMillan was in the Railway pub with his sister and a cousin. He saw a friend called Laura who was with her dad and two men, one of them the defendant.

"He spoke to Laura and her father and then went back to his family," said Mrs Ward. "He spoke to them again later and when he went to pick up a pint and Lyddon said it was his. Mr MacMillan said it wasn't because he had just bought it and walked away."

Mrs Ward said as he did that Mr MacMillan felt something hit him. The next thing he knew he was waking up on the floor with blood coming from his nose and mouth.

"He could hear his daughter screaming behind him and he took hold of her to reassure her," said Mrs Ward.

She said the aggrieved's nose was broken, a tooth was knocked out and another loosened. The following day Laura sent him the name of his assailant who was subsequently arrested in Wales.

Jacqui Seal, defending, sad her client had been using alcohol as some kind of crutch and the incident had acted as a wake-up call.

"Steps have been put in place and he is due to have an appointment to discuss a place in detox later this month," said Ms Seal.

"He remembers being in the pub and then being on the train home and is mortified that he can't remember what happened in between."

Ms Seal said it was a single blow which wasn't pre-meditated.

"He sent a text to Laura the next day and said he should have just left it and bought another pint," she added.