A Newtown man who has been banned from pubs and clubs for hitting a man on the back of a head with a glass bottle has spared jail as he is expecting his first child, Welshpool Magistrates' Court heard.

Jamie Lee Thomas Jones, 28, of Swallow Drive, Maesyrhandir, Newtown, pleaded guilty to wounding without intent.

Jones was charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding Cameron Richie on January 6 in Newtown.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, told Welshpool Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, February 12, that the victim was with his partner at the time and that they were both intoxicated.

Tench told the court that Richie was hit by a "strike to the back of the head" by a glass bottle.

Richie had to go to the hospital and received three stitches for the wound, the prosecution told magistrates.

Tench told magistrates that compensation should "clearly" be awarded to the victim.

Robert Hanratty, defending, told the court that the victim had a "very small wound on the back of the head".

Jones did have a bottle in his hand but he "didn't know if it was the bottle that hit him", Mr Hanratty told the court.

Mr Hanratty also said that the bottle did not break and that it was a single blow, the court heard.

Jones has nothing significant on his record from the last seven years, Hanratty told magistrates.

Mr Hanratty told the court that Jones is expecting his first child and that he is a different man from when magistrates met him in court many years ago.

"He accepts he caused this incident recklessly instead of intentionally," Welshpool Magistrates' Court heard.

Probation officer Julian Davies said that Jones was drunk at the time of the incident and that he saw a friend from the army, the court heard.

He had a bottle in his hand at the time, Mr Davies told the court.

He asked the police to apologise to Mr Richie, probation told the court.

Probation also said that Jones had said he had a problem with alcohol and his behaviour, particularly when binge drinking.

Photos were shown to the magistrates of the injuries to Mr Richie's head.

Chair of the bench Vince Howells said: "This was a serious assault and it does cross the custody threshold."

However, magistrates instead sentenced Jones to a community order.

Mr Howells said: "The reason is that you have shown some improvement in the past but your personal circumstances have changed."

The magistrate said that Jones will have "more responsibility" with the "upbringing of a child".

"I trust you will take responsibility," he added.

Magistrates gave Jones an 18 month community order to including 250 unpaid work days and 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days. Jones has also been banned from entering public houses and nightclubs in the SY16 postcode. He was also ordered to pay £300 in compensation to Mr Richie and £85 in court costs.