A STUDENT'S university studies have been cut short after he was sent to prison for four months for attacking a man with a pub ashtray.

Stephen Trundle's barrister had urged Judge Raymond Bennett not to detain him, as he had a bright future. But Burnley Crown Court heard that Trundle had got in trouble at the Burnley versus Manchester City match last season, while on bail for the offence.

Judge Bennett said it was a great pity he hadn't behaved himself since the assault.

He told Trundle, 19, who first head-butted his victim, that there was too much pub violence and it was regrettable people used glasses or bottles to cause dreadful injuries.

He went on: "This may have been something of six of one and half a dozen of the other at the beginning, but there was no lawful excuse for you to pick up the ashtray and hit a man on the back of the head."

Trundle, of Sharp Street, Burnley, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

The court heard victim Vida Akram, was leaving The Prairie, Burnley, with his girlfriend last December, and met Trundle and his partner. The defendant became intimidating, Mr Akram told him to calm down and was then head-butted.

At some stage, after a chair was thrown in the victim's direction, Trundle picked up an ashtray and hit Mr Akram on the back of the head. He was heard to racially abuse Mr Akram. The victim suffered a one-and-a-half centimetre cut to his head and a bruised lip.

Paul Hague, defending, said Trundle, who was studying at Umist, in Manchester, was doing a mechanical engineering degree and worked as a labourer during the holidays. He was extremely frightened over his court appearance and knew he could lose his liberty.

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