A 20-year-old man who attacked his friend with a beer bottle was told by a judge to not “go on a bender on your 21st birthday”.

Tallon Kidd was out in Okehampton last October with a group of friends including Rory Luxton who was “down on his luck” after a relationship break up, a court heard.

Spray from a beer bottle went over Mr Luxton before Kidd emptied the rest of the beer over him.

Exeter Crown Court heard how Kidd then struck Mr Luxton over the head with the empty bottle.

The bottle did not smash.

The apprentice then picked up a second bottle and hit the victim over the head again, this time it did smash and caused him injuries.

Kidd, of Craon Gardens, Okehampton, admitted to unlawful wounding.

Recorder Joanna Martin KC said Kidd had “lost his rag” but had acted out of character as he has no previous convictions.

She said smashing someone over the head was obviously dangerous and could have led to murder or manslaughter charges.

She sentenced him to six months in jail, suspended for 12 months, and said he would be fitted with a 70 day alcohol abstinence which will end just before his 21st birthday in October.

She told him: "Please don't go on a bender on your 21st birthday. Concentrate on your apprenticeship, not alcohol."