A THUG has been jailed for four years after he left a man scarred for life in a vicious pub attack in York.

Dean Barrett, 21, punched victim Peter Rodgers twice then attacked him with a glass at The Lowther pub in Cumberland Street.

Mr Rodgers was left with an inch-long shard of glass buried in his face, but it was five months before doctors found and removed it, York Crown Court heard. The victim, a joiner, now has permanent nerve damage and will be scarred for life.

Barrett, a glazier from Etty Avenue in Tang Hall, was on bail at the time of The Lowther incident for chasing a man out of a pub and hitting him with a glass, an offence that led to him being convicted of causing actual bodily harm and serving a 12-month jail sentence.

On the day of his trial, he pleaded guilty to wounding with intent in the Lowther attack.

Judge Colin Burn jailed Barrett for four years and told him: “It is simply not on to stick a glass into someone’s temple as you did on the night in question.”

Prosecuting, Rob Galley said Barrett and Mr Rodgers were with different groups in The Lowther on May 8 last year. Mr Rodgers bought some drinks for a long-time friend of his called Jessica Bailey, but Barrett then punched Mr Rodgers twice in the face.

When Mr Rodgers asked “What are you doing?” Barrett reached for a glass and twice hit Mr Rodgers in the face with it. The glass broke on the second blow.

Doctors at York Hospital treated Mr Rodgers for cuts, swelling and other injuries.

However, the swelling got worse and other problems led doctors to carry out further investigations which revealed the glass fragment buried under his skin.

Mr Rodgers lost £4,000 because he had to take time off work following the attack and for hospital appointments.

Richard Woolfall, for Barrett, said his client had received summary justice because Mr Rodgers had grabbed him in a headlock and attacked him after the “glassing”. The attack and the previous incident came at a time when he had taken to drink because his then partner was refusing to let him have contact with their child.

Mr Woolfall said his client had now started to put his life together, had a new partner, and was very sorry for his actions.