Five years for man who stabbed stranger in neck with a bottle

Adam Sanders, 21, from Stillmore Road, admitted wounding Michael Nairn, 27, with intent, after violence flared in Poole town centre in the early hours of December 18 last year.

Mr Nairn needed 29 stitches for his wounds and was left permanently scarred following the chance encounter with Sanders, who later told police he had downed 15 pints of lager before the attack.

Prosecutor Clifford Grier told Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday how Mr Nairn had come across Sanders and his friends as he walked home after a night-out in Poole.

“A female asked Mr Nairn for a light for her cigarette; he gave her a lighter and there was some banter.

“The defendant took exception to Mr Nairn’s comments and put his hand on Mr Nairn’s chest to push him back. But Mr Nairn stood his ground and the defendant apologised.

“The group walked off and Mr Nairn and his friend followed.

“For some reason Mr Sanders took a broken bottle out of his pocket and said: ‘I’ll do you with this’ before pushing the bottle into Mr Nairn’s neck.”

Mr Grier added: “Mr Nairn’s neck was bleeding and he took off his shirt to try and stop the flow.

“He suffered two cuts; one to the side of his jaw and a deeper wound which doctors told him had come very close to the main artery in his neck. Mr Sanders’ DNA was found on the blood stains on his shirt.”

In Sanders’ defence, the court heard that he was “genuinely remorseful” and the offence had been “drink-fuelled”.

He had broken the bottle “to act as a warning” to Mr Nairn and his friend to keep their distance and had struck a single blow.

His Hon Christopher Leigh QC, sitting as a deputy circuit judge, told Sanders: “You broke a bottle so it had jagged edges and you thrust it into Mr Nairn’s neck and face area. You might have been facing a murder charge.

“It has had a catastrophic effect on Mr Nairn who has not only suffered physically but psychologically. Only a lengthy sentence is appropriate.”