Thug cut pub landlord's neck with broken bottle

Gavin Davidson had been taken to court, given a suspended prison term and ordered to hand over cash after he smashed windows at the Shoulder of Mutton, in Shiney Row, in 2015.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 30-year-old lashed out violently and complained about his punishment during a chance meeting with the landlord outside the pub in February 2016.

Prosecutor Jonathan Devlin told the court: “The defendant was blaming him for having to pay compensation at court for the criminal damage which he had previously caused.

“The defendant approached him, took hold of him and started to punch him.

“The defendant then picked up a bottle from the ground and broke it, threatening him with it.

“The broken bottle cut the complainant on the neck and resulted in two cuts.”

The court heard the landlord was left with a swollen and grazed jaw and a graze to his cheek.

The cuts to his neck were around three inches and an inch and a half long and were not deep.

Davidson, of Wynyard Street, Seaham, admitted threatening another with an offensive weapon.

Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced him to 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, with 200 hours of unpaid work.

The judge told him: “You were abusive, you were threatening, you were angry you were having to pay compensation, entirely appropriately because you had previously broken the windows at the pub with a machete.”

The judge said the sentence could be suspended because Davidson is not heavily convicted, has a job and a family, good references and has stayed out of trouble.

Judge Rippon told him: “You are very lucky these injuries were not more serious.”

Jamie Adams, defending, said Davidson has worked hard in the two years since the offence, had moved home and things are “going well” for the family.

Mr Adams added: “All he wants is to try and put all of this behind him.”