A YOUTH told a court he was 'glassed' for nothing after he and a friend went to talk to a man who had been chatting up their mate's girlfriend.

Mark Peacock, 20, said he was bleeding heavily from the head and told how his night on the town with friends ended up with him going to Blackburn Infirmary.

He told Burnley Crown Court he was attacked by Jay Woods for no reason, after he and the friend had followed the man, Woods' old school friend, Christopher Willis, into some pub toilets.

But the defendant's barrister claimed he was a liar.

Richard Bennett, defending Woods, suggested the alleged victim and his friend, the angry 'tough guys' had gone into the lavatories to 'duff up' Mr Willis, were drunk and it was an excuse for a punch-up. Woods, 19, of Wellfield Road, Blackburn, denies wounding Mr Peacock, in May.

Questioned by Tim Storrie, prosecuting, the victim said his mate's girlfriend had told him a man had been touching her bottom, trying to kiss her and 'get in' with her and wouldn't leave her alone. He and a friend followed the man into the toilets to tell him to stop and that she was going out with their mate.

Mr Peacock said a row broke out, the man raised his hand to his friend and he was glassed. He said he then retaliated and hit Woods three or four times in self defence as he thought he might have done something else.

Mr Peacock said he suffered cuts to his left ear, a scratch on his neck and went to hospital for treatment.

Cross-examined by Mr Bennett, Mr Peacock said it was not true he and his friend went into the toilets to see if the lad his girlfriend's mate had complained of was on his own and to have duffed him up.