A drunk man who cannot remember throwing a glass that shattered over the landlady of a Carlisle pub was given a suspended prison sentence.

Paul Matthews, 32, of Furze Street, off Greystone Road, Carlisle, pleaded guilty to assault when he appeared before a district judge at the city's magistrates' court yesterday.

Prosecutor Pam Ward described how Matthews threw a glass that did not hit its intended victim but instead shattered over the head of landlady, Alison Boyd.

At the time she was trying to de-escalate a fight in her pub, The Cumberland Inn, Botchergate, Carlisle.

“As the glass shattered it hit Alison over the head but caused no injuries,” said the prosecutor.

Keith Thomas, for the defence, said Matthews had drunk 12 pints of beer that night and could not remember much about the incident on Sunday, February 28.

The lawyer said the landlady was tending to a cut on Matthews' hand from an assault earlier that night when a man, who Matthews thought had attacked him, walked into the pub. Matthews thought he would retaliate and threw a glass in his direction.

Mr Thomas said: “It's clear when he's had too much to drink that's the source of the trouble.”

Since the incident, Mr Thomas said Matthews has completed a rehabilitation course through Unity Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service based in Carlisle. Representatives from the service said he has not drunk alcohol for several weeks.

Matthews has been relying on benefits since he lost his job as a chef earlier this year.

District Judge Gerald Chalk said his charge of assaulting the landlady was no less serious because he did not intend for the glass to hit her.

He said there were a number of aggravating factors in the case including the fact that it happened in a pub where violence could easily have escalated and the person assaulted was a landlady who provides a public service and should be supported by the community.

He said: “Most serious of all is the use of a weapon, such a weapon as a glass.

"The injuries that can inflicted by throwing a glass are substantial. Thank goodness no real damage was done but you have thrown a glass in a crowded pub.”

District Judge Chalk imposed a 70 day prison sentence suspended for a year.

Matthews was also ordered to costs of £85 and compensation of £100.