A THUG who glassed a pub regular causing him permanent eye damage has been jailed for two years.

David Ennels was so drunk at the Sittingbourne bar at the time that he had no memory of launching the vicious attack on Martin Pickett.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Ennels broke the glass before throwing it. Shards caught Mr Pickett in the eye, cutting his eyeball.

Alan Kent, prosecuting, said the victim had gone to his "local" with his wife and a friend on the August Bank Holiday weekend last year. Mr Pickett and his friend intended to "get trollied" as they did not have to work the next day.

There was a singer at The Billet Inn and the atmosphere was described as lively. But it changed when the landlady of the London Road pub saw Ennels argue with another customer and then head-butt him, splitting his nose.

Ennels stormed out of the pub, followed by his girlfriend. The landlady told him not to return. He reacted by threatening: "I’m going to tear your ******* pub down."

Mr Pickett decided to go and help the landlady. Ennels burst back in and other customers tried to restrain him.

It was then that he picked up the glass, broke it and threw it at Mr Pickett.

Mr Kent said the victim’s eye had improved slightly, but added. "It is now as good as it is ever going to be and cannot be corrected either by further medical treatment or wearing glasses."

Ennels admitted to police that he was "pretty slaughtered". He remembered that "all hell broke loose". He said he did not remember glassing anybody.

The 28-year-old father, formerly of Sittingbourne, and now of Church Town, Mullion, Cornwall, admitted unlawful wounding shortly before he was due to stand trial on Monday.

Imran Mahmood, defending, said Ennels had spent nine months in custody. "This offence, as they always do, started with drink and the cause of this was alcohol," he said.

Mr Mahmood said Ennels had been offered a job with an air conditioning company.

Judge Andrew Patience, QC, said Ennels had been "hopelessly intoxicated" when he attacked Mr Pickett.

"Had you contested this case rather than taking the sensible and mature course, and been convicted by a jury, I would have passed a sentence on you of at least three years," he said.