A man who glassed a Royal Marine in a drunken attack in an Old Town bar has been spared a jail term.

Leisure centre worker Daniel McKenna, 30, lashed out with the stem of a wine glass after being asked to stop pestering the sister of the sober soldier.

But after hearing it was out of character, the injury was not particularly bad and a scar would not be too damaging to a commando, a judge imposed a suspended sentence.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court serviceman Daniel Rose, who was the designated driver, was out with members of his family on Saturday, March 15.

In the early hours of the following morning they were in Baker Street bar on Wood Street when McKenna started pestering the victim’s sister.

“Mr Rose was stone cold sober. The defendant was quite drunk and making a nuisance of himself,” Mr Meeke said.

"He was paying a bit too much attention to Mr Rose’s sister. He was becoming a trifle irksome.

“Mr Rose gently pushed him away and told him to go away. Mr Rose said he pushed him with open arms a little more forcefully.

“The defendant moved away briefly, Mr Rose thought he had got the message. He then felt two blows that felt like weak punches to the head, one of which caused the injury.”

Mr Meeke said other people in the bar saw McKenna pick up a broken wine glass and, with a bottle in his other hand, lash out with the sharp stem.

When he was questioned he admitted he had been drinking heavily, saying he did not recall any of the incident.

“He told officers it was wholly out of character as he was normally a ‘laid back’ person when he had been drinking.

Telling the court the victim needed three sutures to a 3cm cut to his temple, Mr Meeke said: “There is a little scar but on a Royal Marine that won’t be completely debilitating.”

McKenna, of Taylor Crescent, Stratton St Margaret, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding.

Chris Oswald, defending, said his client is at a complete loss as to why he lashed out.

“This is a young man who would not expect to behave in this way. He is stunned,” he said.

“He tells me from time to time going out with friends they indulge in binge drinking.

“He has learned a most serious lesson.”

He said he works as a supervisor at the Oasis Leisure Centre and has always had a job since leaving school in 2000 and realised he should pay compensation to his victim.

Passing sentence, Recorder Ian Lawrie QC said: “On the night that you thrust a glass stem into the face of Mr Rose you were clearly highly in drink but you were behaving in a thoroughly boorish and aggressive manner.

“However, against your appalling behaviour on the night in question there are a number of factors that weigh heavily in your favour.

“You are aged 30 years and you have not put a foot wrong, are hard working and always in employment.

“You have a good job and there is all likelihood you have learned a valuable and salutary lesson through this.”

He jailed him for 22 months suspended for 18 months and told him to do 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £2,000 compensation, £600 costs and £100 surcharge.