A DRUNKEN thug who smashed a broken whiskey bottle into the head of a peacemaker has had about five months added to his current jail term.

William Goffett was arguing with a pub landlord about taking a glass away with him when Ashley Witt stepped in to try and stop the confrontation.

But rather than calm down the 23-year-old, known as Billy, set about the Good Samaritan cutting him with a broken bourbon bottle.

Charles Thomas, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how all the men had been at The Crumpled Horn, in Eldene, on Friday February 2.

During the evening Mr Witts, 28, and the defendant, who is an acquaintance, spoke to each other and there was no issue.

In the early hours of the following morning Goffett was leaving when landlord Graeme Jeapes spoke to him as he thought he was taking a glass.

Voices were raised and because Mr Witts knew both men he thought he could step in to prevent any further flare up.

Mr Thomas said: “Mr Witts thought he might be best placed to act as an intermediary to try and calm things down. He went and placed himself between Mr Goffett and Mr Jeapes. Before any violence occurred Mr Jeapes went back inside.”

The defendant walked away, but then came back and brandished a broken Jack Daniels bottle.

The pair then ended up in a mutual arm lock, he said, leaving Mr Witts suffering significant cut wounds to the back of his neck and his arm.

He said “He was not aware until he was released from the headlock that there was a lot of blood coming from the wound to the back of his face. He had a deep cut to the back of his neck. There were further cuts to the side of his head and below the hairline.”

He was taken to hospital by ambulance and the wounds were glued and he had to return later after they became infected.

Goffett, formerly of Akers Way, admitted unlawful wounding.

The court heard he was jailed for 22 months in May for another bout of violence in a pub which took place three weeks after the Crumpled Horn attack.

In that incident he threw a plant pot ashtray being at a woman in the garden of The Messenger, leaving her with a gash on her head.

Emma Handslip, defending, said while her client had a history of violence he had been doing well with probation before the offences.

He had a poor upbringing, she said, and in both incidents felt he was being cornered and reacted badly to the situation. But Goffett hoped to moved away with his girlfriend once released.

Jailing him for a total of 20 months Judge Jason Taylor QC said “You need to know, having racked up this number of previous convictions for one so young, things will only get worse for you if you come back for violence.”