A 21-YEAR-OLD with 17 previous convictions who smashed an ashtray into another man's face in a pub brawl is "not a danger to the public".

Charlie Guyatt launched an attack on the man, who his girlfriend had had an affair with, in the Anchor and Hope pub in Winchester Street in July.

Prosecuting, Simon Edwards played the "fairly graphic" CCTV footage of the attack at Salisbury Crown Court today.

He said that Guyatt was in the pub and approached by Daniel Thompson at about 9.50pm.

The pair argued and Mr Thompson pushed Guyatt, but Guyatt responding with one punch that knocked Mr Thompson to the floor.

While he was laying on the floor Guyatt kicked him, before walking to a nearby table and picking up an ashtray.

He smashed the ashtray into Mr Thompson's face, causing five wounds which required stitches.

Mr Thompson was led away, but while staff attempted to clean up a puddle of blood left from the attack, Guyatt returned to the scene, shirtless, and "daubed the blood on his face", Mr Edwards said.

Guyatt later punched another man, Mr Tuckwell, leaving his eye bruised, after he intervened.

When the CCTV footage of his attack on Mr Thompson was played back to Guyatt in a police interview, he said: "Stupid f*cking c*nt, have some, I wish I'd stamped on your head."

Judge Andrew Barnett asked if Guyatt had shown any remorse, and Mr Edwards responded: "None whatsoever."

Mr Edwards said all men involved had "consumed a large amount of alcohol" and that Guyatt had not been taking his prescribed anti-psychotic drugs.

Defending, Rufus Taylor said the incident was "the culmination of some quite unpleasant digging at him that had started when he was in custody" last year.

He said while Guyatt was in prison, Mr Thompson had an affair with his partner, Carla Martin, who confessed to Guyatt that she had cheated on him when he was released.

Mr Taylor said "from November to July, there would be asides and digs and jabs in public" from Mr Thompson, about his relationship with Ms Martin and there had been "strong provocation" on the night.

He said the Guyatt's punch had been "in self defence" after Mr Thompson had pushed him.

But he said the kick that followed, and the assault with the ashtray, which Judge Barnett described as a "devastating blow", were "clearly not in self defence".

Mr Edwards said Mr Thompson has been left with permanent scaring and in the aftermath of the attack had been left with injuries so visible that he had cancelled a job interview.

Guyatt, who is 21, has appeared in court 27 times, for 17 previous offences. These include assault, battery and criminal damage, and date back to when he was 13.

Mr Edwards said the incident at the Anchor and Hope took place "but a matter of weeks" after Guyatt had been released from prison for another offence.

But Judge Barnett said Guyatt's previous offences did not show "a pattern of violence", and said he did not believe Guyatt was a danger to the public.

Judge Barnett said he accepted what Mr Taylor had said about the element of provocation before the first punch to Mr Thompson, but said "what happened next is not justifiable in any way whatsoever".

He said it was "completely clear" that Guyatt "lost control of yourself" and "smashed [the ashtray] into his face" causing him "no end of grief".

"As if that wasn't bad enough, you continued to show aggression and hit Mr Tuckwell in the face."

Judge Barnett told Guyatt: "You can't behave like that in public, you are 21 years old and you have an appalling record."

He sentenced Guyatt to five years in prison for the crimes, adding: "I only hope that you can sort your life out, but for the next few years you are going to spend your time in custody regretting what you did in that public house."

Guyatt pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of cannabis at Winchester Crown Court on August 31.