A CLUBBER who smashed a bottle over a DJ's head has been jailed for a year.

Luke Leeson, 21, lashed out with the full bottle striking his victim three times as he lay on the ground during a scuffle at Club Blue nightclub in Trowbridge.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that Darren Marlowe had just completed a set as disc jockey at the club and was sitting at a table having a drink shortly before midnight on Friday, September 28.

He said: "The defendant appeared to help himself to a bottle of alcohol belonging to someone else. Mr Marlowe went to remonstrate and there was an argument.

"The defendant struck out at Mr Marlowe and punched him, causing minor bruising. Mr Marlowe punched him back and the two wrestled and fell to the ground.

"Mr Marlowe then thought someone held him down, but there is no evidence to support this. But, whatever, Mr Leeson got to his feet before Mr Marlowe and brought one of the bottles that he had been carrying down on Mr Marlowe's head with great force."

Mr Meeke said Leeson then landed two further blows on Mr Marlowe.

A number of people in the club pulled Leeson away and he was escorted to the cloakroom area, but when he got there he produced a craft knife from his pocket and waved it above his head.

Mr Meeke said one of the security staff saw the knife, the blade of which was not out, and grabbed it from him while colleagues held him until the police arrived.

Mr Marlowe was taken to Trowbridge Hospital where he was treated for a 6cm cut to crown of his head which required seven stitches.

When he was arrested police found Leeson was carrying about 3g of cannabis, with a street value of about £10.

In interview he said Mr Marlowe had confronted him about the bottle which had been taken and, fearing some sort of attack, had slapped his victim and then hit him with the bottle after a scuffle to stop him getting up.

At an earlier hearing Leeson, of Carders Corner, Trowbridge, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon and having cannabis.

Paul Orton, defending, said his client denied stealing anybody's drink and were it not for Mr Marlowe remonstrating with him the offence would not have taken place.

He said earlier this year Leeson was stabbed in the neck after he confronted a man in a park who was hitting some children with a stick. Since then he said his client had been extremely wary of people attacking him and reacted out of panic and fright when he was confronted.

Jailing Leeson, Recorder Stephen Wildblood QC said: "Violence of this sort in a public place can't be justified. The message has to go out that violence of this nature will be punished and punished firmly."