Welwyn Garden City man jailed for glassing pal

A MAN who glassed a friend after returning home from a boozy night out has been jailed for six months.

Dale Peters, 21, picked up the glass and struck Toney Wilkinson as they fought in the kitchen of his WGC flat.

Peters, who had to get up for work in the morning, was angry Mr Wilkinson had gone into his bedroom late at night and turned the light on and off, St Albans Crown Court was told yesterday (Tuesday).

Prosecutor Ian Wade said both men had been out separately and had been drinking.

When the row broke out, they began pushing each other. Peters picked up a glass from the side and smashed it into the side of Mr Wilkinson’s face.

Mr Wade said: “It was drink-fuelled aggression that turned into a fight and the defendant picked up the glass.

“It is an unhappy case. The two men are close friends and don’t support proceedings against each other.”

When interviewed by police Peters said: “I had to sleep because of work. I was really drunk and flipped.”

Peters, of Ingles, WGC, pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding Mr Wilkinson on March 13.

He was also injured, but the case against Mr Wilkinson was dropped at an earlier hearing.

Sally Jackson, defending, said Mr Wilkinson had gone into Peters’ room and turned the light on and off. She said the offence had shocked him and he had not drunk since.

Recorder Richard Horwell QC said he accepted the violence was not pre-meditated and passed the “absolute minimum” sentence he could.