A TRAINEE carpenter has avoided an immediate prison sentence for throwing a glass that hit his ex-girlfriend in the face at a Monmouth pub.

Alan Alistair Hawkins, 21, left his victim with "a nasty black eye" when she was struck by a glass he threw in the Green Dragon pub's beer garden last December.

The hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard Hawkins and his victim had encountered each other "by chance" in the beer garden.

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Paul Hewitt, prosecuting, said there was "shouting involved" between the pair, and the court was shown CCTV of one of the victim's friends approaching Hawkins, pointing at him, and then throwing the contents of a drink over him before walking away.

Hawkins, who had been sitting down until that point, was now "clearly in an agitated, aggressive state" and responded by throwing a glass, hitting his ex-girlfriend in the face, Mr Hewitt said.

Hawkins' victim was taken to Abergavenny's Nevill Hall Hospital and diagnosed with a "mildly displaced fracture of the orbital floor".

In a victim impact statement read to the court, she said the incident had affected her self-confidence and caused her emotional issues and sleep problems.

Hilary Roberts, defending, said Hawkins was "ashamed of his actions" and had admitted a charge of grievous bodily harm (without intent) at the earliest opportunity.

Hawkins, of Common Road, Mitchel Troy, threw the glass as a "spontaneous reaction" to having a drink thrown over him by the victim's friend, Mr Roberts added.

"He is highly thought of by those who know him," Mr Roberts said. "This was completely out of character."

Judge Timothy Petts sentenced Hawkins to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay his victim £1,000 compensation.

Hawkins must also pay £250 costs and a victim surcharge.