COMING to his aunt’s aid the night before a wedding at their town centre hotel a teenager ended up being head-butted by a drunken reveller.

The 16-year-old boy suffered a swollen nose and a cut under his right eye in the attack.

This week 42-year-old Michael O’Brien of Stanley Road, Ilford, pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault outside the Travelodge in Swindon when he assaulted the teenager in the early hours of July 23.

Crown prosecutor Nick Barr told the court that the teenager had been staying at the hotel with family ahead of a wedding. He had gone downstairs to get a drink when he saw his aunt outside who appeared to be being confronted by an older man.

He went outside and stood between them with his brother. “When he was around two feet away, the man headbutted him in the face. He went to punch back but missed and was pulled away by family members,” said Mr Barr.

He said O’Brien had a previous conviction for grievous bodily harm which had seen him locked up for 12 weeks in 2012.

Defending him, Wayne Hardy told the court: “The first thing he said to me was that he wanted to plead guilty. He fully accepts his involvement in this incident. He is very remorseful for what happened that evening. He can’t really remember what happened because unfortunately he had quite a lot to drink. He tells me that he believes the lady in question was being verbal towards him and he reacted to that.

“It is very clear from the CCTV footage what happened, but of course you cannot hear the words being said. He is deeply sorry for any harm caused. Thankfully there were no serious injuries.” Chairman of the bench Jonathan Chappell imposed a 12 month community order on O’Brien, ordering that he complete 140 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity days with the probation service.

He must also pay £150 compensation to the 16-year-old along with £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service and an £85 victim surcharge.