A 45-year-old man who smashed in his friend’s face after chasing him down the street in a drunken row has been spared an immediate jail sentence.

Frederick Harper needed surgery to rebuild his shattered cheek and eye socket after Peter Hindle punched him twice in the face at 2am on October 3 last year.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday that both men had been drinking heavily at their shared accommodation on Killinghall Road, Bradford, when they fell out.

Prosecutor Sam Green said Mr Harper threw the TV remote control at Hindle who pursued him from their home and attacked him. Hindle was originally charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent, but the Crown accepted a plea of guilty to the lesser offence of unlawfully inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Hindle’s barrister, Kathryn Walsh, said he “lost his temper and snapped” when both men were drunk. Hindle said from the dock he had not intended to injure Mr Harper and he had been caring for him for ten years.

Judge David Hatton QC sentenced Hindle to 14 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with supervision and 180 hours of unpaid work.