A HASLINGDEN man who "glassed" his close friend after he made offensive comments about his wife has kept his freedom.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Stephen Bowden, 52, lost his temper and smashed a glass into the side of Andrew Bleazard's face in blind fury. The victim suffered a three inch gash to his cheek and had to have hospital treatment.

The court had been told how the defendant and the victim, who had been close friends for 15 years, had been drinking together.

Bowden's wife was away at the time and Mr Bleazard was said to have alleged she was seeing other men.

Bowden was given 52 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, after Judge Beverley Lunt said his behaviour had been wholly unacceptable but out of character and the public would not best be served by sending him to custody.

The judge said the remarks about Mrs Bowden were extremely offensive and should not have been made about a lady. But, she told the defendant: "Sticks and stones. You should have walked away but you didn't."

The defendant, of Princess Street, admitted wounding last December and had been committed for sentence by magistrates.

David Macro, prosecuting, told the court the defendant and victim had been to a few pubs together on a Sunday afternoon. They met up in Haslingden, went to Waterfoot and then returned to Haslingden.

The pair would quite often take the mickey out of each other but Mr Bleazard started making remarks about Mrs Bowden "having it away" with other men.