A MAN who ruined a fancy dress party when he attacked a pirate while dressed as a policeman and brandishing a kitchen knife has been jailed.

Christopher Eadie, of Ferry Hinksey Road, West Oxford, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after he told police he had no idea why he had assaulted Phillip Harper.

The 23-year-old admitted causing actual bodily harm, affray, and making threats with a large kitchen knife on October 11 this year.

Cathy Olliver, prosecuting, said the drunk Eadie had begun the attack on the dance floor in The Jolly Postboys, in Florence Park, by punching his friend to the floor.

She said he then kicked Mr Harper, with who he usually engaged in “friendly banter”, repeatedly then dragged him outside to continue the assault. The barrister said his bruised victim returned home, only to find Eadie waiting for him in his kitchen and talking to his mum.

Miss Olliver told Judge Ian Pringle in Oxford Crown Court that the defendant was ejected from Mr Harper’s house and returned to the pub, but brought a large kitchen knife with him.

When he arrived, she said, he pushed his way in and “brandished” the weapon, before being punched and knocked to the ground by other party-goers.

Miss Olliver added that Mr Harper’s family had once taken Eadie in when he ended up living on the streets.

Ronan McCann, defending, said that Eadie had recognised he had a problem with drinking and it was “dangerous” when he drank too much.

Yesterday he told Judge Pringle that his client knew a prison sentence was inevitable, but had accepted his punishment and was full of regret for what he had done.

He added that Eadie “clearly has difficulties with conflict resolution”.

Judge Pringle told the young trainee scaffolder that he had been “impressed” by a letter he had written expressing remorse for his actions, but he had no choice but to send him to prison.

He said: “You consumed a large amount of alcohol at that party and, for some reason that you can’t explain, you attacked your friend and you attacked him repeatedly, punching him and dragging him outside to continue the assault.

“This was not just one blow this was repeated blows on your friend.

“You then went back to that pub, where you were well known, and for reasons you again say you cannot explain you armed yourself with that kitchen knife and you went in brandishing it.”

He sentenced Eadie to nine months in prison for the assault and 12 months for the affray, to run consecutively.

He will also have to pay a £120 victim’s surcharge.