A father who attacked a stranger in a pub in Crowthorne with glass over the festive season in 2017, has narrowly avoided more jail time in the "interests of justice" after police deliberately delayed his sentencing to 65 days before his release date.

Shaun Hartley, who at the time of the attack was on bail for another charge, attacked a man in front of his girlfriend in a busy pub in 2017 and was arrested the following day when he returned to the pub to collect his belongings.

Prosecutor Kirsty Allman told the court how the victim, Nathan Barnes, was sat with his girlfriend and a friend watching a football match in the Crowthorne Inn when they noticed "an angry man" walk in.

The court heard how the victim's friend, Fraser, tried to make conversation with Hartley, of Brockenhurst Road, Ascot, but he was verbally abusive and walked off. When the victim went to the toilet, Fraser noticed Hartley talking to the victim's girlfriend, Georgia Bailey. He went over and told Hartley to "leave it". When Nathan returned from the toilet, he said he felt something smack against his face, the prosecution said.

CCTV footage played in court showed 28-year-old Hartley in the background, pick up either a pint glass or a beer bottle and smack it over the head of his victim, which shattered glass over him and his girlfriend.

Girlfriend Georgia Bailey said she could see the male was still angry but people ushered him away. She confirmed Nathan was taken to hospital with injuries to his left ear which would not stop bleeding. She described it as looking like the cartilage was falling off.

Ms Allman, said: "The victim is self-employed and had to take two and a half weeks off work due to the jagged laceration, so was not receiving any income.

"When he sees clients he still turns his head so they don't see his ear. He is embarrassed to say that he was attacked as he doesn't want people to think of him as a trouble maker. His confidence has been knocked.

"Mr Barnes had to wear a bandage for several weeks over the Christmas period and he did not want to be in any family pictures. He said it still itches, looks disfigured and in his words, is grim."

The defence counsel, Paul Jones, in his mitigating statement clarified that the glass was thrown, hit the juke box and shattered onto the victim and his girlfriend. Mr Jones highlighted to the court that although the attack took place almost two years ago, the sentencing happened today/yesterday (Thurs), just 65 days before the defendants release date.

He said: "It took the police a long time before he came before the Crown Prosecution Service. This charge has been hanging over him for 18 months, nearly two years later. When the witness statement was taken 15 months ago, they had everything they needed. Police acted with no urgency and left it until we were moving to your leaving date - which is in 65 days time.

"The person here today is not the same person who appeared in front of the court in February 2018, he has many redeemable qualities. He wants to be a good father and accepts that this is not a good example for his children."

Sentencing Hartley in Reading Crown Court, Judge Nott said: "It was a cowardly attack as you threw the object from behind. Your victim could not work, lost out financially and was left with a visible scar - it was a nasty assault.

"Ordinarily, your sentence would have been two years imprisonment. However, I am concerned with what I see as a manipulation. 12 months after you should have been charged for this sentence, you have been pulled out of a category D prison, pulled away from the privileges you earned and you have been put back in a Category C prison as a result of this charge. Today marks 65 days until your release date.

"This sentence is going to look unduly lenient but you have been inimical in the process of justice.

"A lack of police urgency along with a powerful letter from your mother explaining that you have a job waiting for you on the outside and that you are expecting your third child. I hope your good work will not be undone by the fact that you are back in a Category C prison.

"I sentence you to four months in prison to run concurrently with your current sentence. Your earlier release date will remain unchanged.

"We can't charge a matter if police have not ordered it. Police deliberately delayed a case, whether it is a result of under-staffing or overstretching. It left the court no choice but to come out of the punishment guidelines in order that justice is done."

Judge Nott made no order for compensation to be paid to the victim, "not because I think Mr Barnes does not deserve it" but acknowledged Hartleys poor financial position.