A DRUNKEN thug walked free after he threw a bottle which cut open a man's arm during a bloody brawl in Worcester, later attempting to run over his victim.

Nathan Simpson Etheridge lobbed a bottle which smashed and cut open Nicholas Mezzone's arm during violence in Foregate Street in Worcester, just yards from the city's crown court where he was spared jail on Monday. The victim's injuries were so serious he permanently lost the feeling in his arm, will be scarred for life and had to stop working as a chef and take lower paid work, the court heard.

Simpson Etheridge, who had been out clubbing with his girlfriend and his friends, also drove the car at the victim and other pedestrians who were trying to stop him driving away, at one stage reversing into an HGV which had been forced to stop because of the brawl which also involved some of the defendant's friends.

The 35-year-old of Heath Road, Birmingham admitted affray on October 4, 2019 but denied a wounding charge. The Crown offered no evidence to the wounding when Simpson Etheridge appeared before Recorder Martin Butterworth.

Jaspreet Dhaliwal, prosecuting, said the defendant was driving along Foregate Street in the company of others when someone in the car asked Mr Mezzone for a light. His refusal to provide one led to 'a verbal altercation'. The victim continued to walk away when the occupants of the car, including Simpson Etheridge, got out to continue the argument.

Mr Dhaliwal said: "At this particular time an HGV had been forced to stop in the road due to the confrontation. The defendant was seen in the street raising and moving his hand in what appeared to be a throwing motion. Mr Mezzone has seen the defendant pick up something believed to be a bottle of some kind. It appears the glass bottle was thrown towards Mr Mezzone's group.

"Mr Mezzone did not see who threw the bottle and the bottle smashed by him as he ducked out of the way."

He did not realise immediately that he had sustained a deep cut to his left arm. "The defendant then gets back into the driver's seat of the car and drives forward at speed towards Mr Mezzone who had to jump out of the way. The vehicle was reversed towards Mr Mezzone's group before going forward again" said the prosecutor.

The car was driven forward and reversed several times, at one stage reversing into the stationary HGV at low speed. Simpson Etheridge, who was arrested, blew 61 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, close to double the limit of 35.

The victim was taken to hospital by ambulance and required stitches for a deep 5cm to 6cm cut to his forearm. He later attributed Bell's palsy (facial muscle weakness or paralysis) to the attack.

He was forced to take a month off work after previously working 55 hours a week. Mr Dhaliwal said: "It's likely to be scarred for the rest of his life. Every time he wears a short-sleeved t-shirt he feels the scar is on show and is reminded of the experience."

He described the arm as being 'permanently numb from the wrist to the elbow'. Simpson Etheridge, who has 29 previous convictions for 49 offences including dangerous driving, was sentenced to 70 weeks in prison suspended for two years. An alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement was also imposed for 90 days. This means he will be fitted with a tag which monitors if he has consumed any alcohol.

No unpaid work order was made but he must complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.