by Paul Hooper

The editorial director of a high-class Sandwich-based magazine smashed a glass into the face of one of his reporters... after a row over the north-south divide.

Simon Brady, 47, and two staff from Treasury Today – based in Harnet Street - had gone out for a drink in June last year.

The boozy birthday celebration – in which they downed lager, scotch, wine, Pernod and B52 cocktails – ended with reporter Christopher Wilson needing stitches for a head wound.

Brady, from south-east London, has admitting wounding his colleague with the beer glass, but has denied the more serious charge of wounding with intent.

Prosecutor Wendy Hewitt told the jury at Canterbury Crown Court how the three had been in the Crispin Inn before deciding to stay the night at the nearby Bell Hotel.

She said that during the evening Brady had accidentally spilled drink over colleague Timothy Wallace – who had then gone to bed.

But northerner Christopher Wilson and his “middle class” boss carried on bickering in the foyer of the hotel in Sandwich.

Ms Hewitt told the jury that “it wasn’t unusual” for the two men to have arguments over politics.

At one point the hotel’s night porter David Mcdowell had to ask the two to lower their voices as it was the early hours of the morning.

Mr Wilson said his boss then began making “patronising” comments over his northern origins – before suddenly slamming the glass into his face.

He told police: “I had worked with Mr Brady for six months and our relationship was friendly. We would exchange banter from time to time, which could get heated but it had never become aggressive.”

The case is being heard at Canterbury Crown Court

Mr Wilson said after downing six pints of lager that night he felt “tipsy but had my wits about me”.

“Simon got up and came around the table. I did not see this as any form of threat and felt no fear of his movements at this point. If I thought that he was going to hit me I would never have allowed him to sit next to me.

“All of a sudden, I felt an impact to my face with enough force to knock me backwards. I did not realise what had hit me until I stood up. There was glass all over me and blood was pouring from my face.”

He claimed he also received another blow to the back of his head.

Mr Wilson said the porter then gave him a towel and called an ambulance and he was taken to the QEQM Hospital in Margate and treated for wounds to his face, hands and neck.

Mr Wilson said after the attack: “I have no idea why Simon would attack me like this.

"Whilst we have had heated discussions in the past, he has never shown this level of aggression towards me or anybody else.”

The case continues.