A MAN was left with a cut face after his ex-girlfriend's brother spotted him in a bar and stuck him with a bottle.

At Bolton Crown Court, 29-year-old Lee Isherwood was given an 18 month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Daniel Talbot.

Mr Timothy Greenald, prosecuting, told Judge Peter Davies how 26-year-old Mr Talbot was in 101 Bar on Silver Street, Bury, on June 22 last year when he saw Isherwood.

The pair did not speak to each other and 10 minutes later Isherwood hit Mr Talbot on the forehead with a bottle he had been holding in an unprovoked attack.

"Mr Talbot was stunned by the blow and nearly collapsed," said Mr Greenald.

The bottle smashed, cutting Mr Talbot's face and both men were ejected from the premises.

He added that, at the time, Mr Talbot did not realise it was Isherwood who had hit him and only learnt afterwards from other witnesses.

"The motive is apparently born out of the relationship Mr Talbot had with his sister," said Mr Greenald.

The court was told that Isherwood, of Hillside Road, Ramsbottom, had a sudden and momentary loss of control and had lashed out only once. Since then he has undergone anger management counselling and is remorseful.

Judge Davies told Isherwood it was only his good references and the efforts he had made to get counselling that persuaded him not to jail him immediately.

"Ordinarily you would be going to custody straight away," Judge Davies told him.

As well as the suspended prison sentence, Isherwood was told he must do 100 hours unpaid work, pay his victim £800 compensation, take part in a behaviour programme and be supervised by the probation service for 12 months.