A LONG-RUNNING feud over a lost Playstation led to a man having his jaw broken outside a pub, a court heard.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard how Sam Brooks, 21, had been friends with Joshua Cross since school and the pair had lived together in Radcliffe.

David Farley, prosecuting, said: "The defendant had always blamed Mr Cross for losing his Playstation which went missing when they moved to Castlecroft House in Bury."

Resentment grew between the pair with Brooks telling Mr Cross he would "knock him out" unless he paid him £200.

At a party on New Year's Eve 2018, Mr Cross paid the defendant £60, but Brooks ended up chasing him and allegedly assaulted him.

On December 7, 2019, Mr Cross was with some friends at a pub in Bury when Brooks, who pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, approached him outside.

Mr Cross turned to see who it was and was punched in the face before falling to the floor.

He went to hospital and it was found he had a broken jaw which needed pins and plates inserted and two further operations.

Mr Cross lost two teeth as a result and lost his job on the production line at a baking factory due to the amount of time he had to take off work.

Following his arrest, Brooks, of Chiltern Drive, Bury, admitted the offence, telling officers he was drunk at the time.

Michael Lea, defending, said Brooks "was at a loss to explain why he became so fixated with the loss of the Playstation".

"He became fixated that Mr Cross owed him money as a result of this Playstation," said Mr Lea. "When he didn't receive the money he felt he was owed, the frustration overspilled into a serious assault."

Sentencing Brooks, Judge Mark Savill said: "It is just ridiculous and absurd that a young man who leads a hardworking life has done this over a Playstation.

"I can only hope that you now realise what a ridiculous thing that was to fall out over."

Judge Savill handed Brooks a sentence of 10 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months. He will also have to carry out 220 hours of unpaid work and take part in 24 days of a rehabilitation activity.

Mr Cross was awarded £1,500 in compensation and Brooks will also have to pay costs of £250.