A BRAWLER was handed a suspended prison sentence on his birthday after striking a man with a bottle of Belvedere vodka in a nightclub.

Daniel McIntyre was clubbing in Q-Bar with a group of friends but found himself in an aggressive rage after a fight broke out, Reading Crown Court heard today.

He squared up with Samuel Diamond in the club but as the victim tried to walk away, McIntyre picked up a 3 litre bottle of vodka and struck Mr Diamond in the face, cutting his eye.

Security staff separated the two clubbers and took them into a side room to try and defuse the situation. 

But McIntyre continued to be aggressive towards diamond, saying "You wait until I see you at hockey" the Recorder, Mr Harold Persaud heard.

When police arrived at the scene in Friar Street in March last year, they placed the 23-year-old in handcuffs.

 But he carried on with his aggressive behaviour and was heard shouting "wait until Monday when I find you on Facebook you will know who I am".

Prosecuting, Tetteh Turkson, said: "Mr Diamond walked away. He saw the defendant was following him. 

"McIntyre struck him with a large bottle of vodka. He needed four stitches in his eye."

Mr Turkson also told the court how in 2010 McIntyre punched an off duty police officer to the ground after being stopped at barrier for not having a ticket to board a train. 

James McCrindell, defending, said McIntyre should be given full credit for admitting to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm at a plea and case management hearing last year.

Mr McCrindell said: "Today is his birthday, he has just turned 23-years-old.

"The reporting probation officer was able to ask the court to consider the imposition of a suspended sentence order.

"He needs to start getting more discipline in his life and some control."

Recorder Persaud slapped McIntyre with a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

The 23-year-old was also ordered to pay £750 to Mr Diamond, and cannot leave his home in Newcastle Road, Reading, between 8pm and 8am on weekends.

The judge said: "You used a large bottle to assault him in his face.

"There is some suggestion the bottle was made out of a heavy plastic material but there is no clear evidence before me as to whether it was glass or a heavy plastic.

"I have considered the submission and I am just persuaded in the circumstances of this case and because of your circumstances and the improvement that I can suspend your sentence."