A 19-year-old man who attacked a former colleague with a broken bottle has been sentenced to 15 months behind bars.

Christopher Caffel, of Oxford Road, Garsington, hit Jamie Richards several times, causing three gashes to the back of his head, which needed 11 stitches, Oxford Crown Court heard on Monday, September 1.

The two men fell out when they both worked for electrical retailer Comet. Mr Richards claimed Caffel threatened him when they met in The Studio nightclub, in the Westgate Centre, Oxford, on March 2.

He said Caffel later saw him in Pennyfarthing Place at 2am, and hit him with a bottle.

Caffel admitted a charge of unlawful wounding. He was convicted of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing.

Fiona Horlick, prosecuting, said Mr Richards was still affected by the incident and was afraid to go out.

Terence Woods, defending, said his client had no previous convictions and had excellent character references. He said: "In interview he accepted responsibility and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. There was a history between the two parties and had been some difficulties in their place of work.

"He bitterly regrets his behaviour that night. He is a vulnerable individual who has a mild form of cerebral palsy, which he has been bullied about in the past." Sentencing, Judge Julian Hall said Caffel had ignored warnings from a witness, who had seen the attack and had urged him to stop.

He said: "It is for those reasons that I am sentencing you to a young offenders' institution. You are a decent man and when you come out from detention I hope you will be able to pick up where you left off."