A NEW Year reveller who slashed a licensee's back, causing a seven inch cut, has gone to detention for 18 months.

William Alderson's victim, Robert Bank, had to have 19 stitches in the half-inch deep wound after being attacked with a knife at the Tower Bar, Colne, in the early hours of New Year's Day, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Sentencing Alderson, Judge Raymond Bennett, sitting with two justices, said many people would think he was fortunate not to have been charged with a more serious offence.

Alderson, 18, of Hawley Street, Colne, had admitted unlawful wounding and been committed for sentence by Pennine magistrates. He will start the 18 month sentence when he has served the remainder of a previous sentence.

Sue Riley, prosecuting, said Mr Bank and a doorman went to intervene in a fight, the licencee took hold of a man and various people began to protest. Mr Bank intended to take the man outside, he felt something brush against his back. He realised he had been cut and later went to hospital. He was found to have suffered a seven inch cut and received 19 stitches.

Alderson told police he had been using the knife during the day for cutting carpets. He said he had had 30 units of alcohol and amphetamine and felt he had been having a good night out. He thought the bouncer and manager looked like "wild animals", but drink and the drugs may have caused this.

Mark Stuart, defending, said Alderson had not gone out intending to be violent but had too much to drink and accepted he behaved in an inappropirate way. Alderson had thought a friend was going to be attacked by the licensee and doorman and went over having got "wound up".

Alderson had had a difficult background, had attended special schools and was not adequately equipped to cope with life outside, he said.

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