A TEENAGER who accidentally blinded his best friend during a fight in which he slashed another man 11 times with a broken bottle has avoided jail.

Charlie Robbins, 18, of River View Close, Laindon, was handed a suspended prison sentence yesterday for wounding William Green on the doorstep of his home, also in River View Close, at around 1am on August 29 last year.

Basildon Crown Court heard Mr Green’s half-brother Anthony Williams, 19, was accidentally hit in the face by a piece of glass from the bottle during the attack, causing him to lose the sight in his left eye.

Robbins acknowledged he had drunk around eight beers and some rum before the incident, which occurred when he had gone to the house of his former best friend after a night out to play computer games.

The fight broke out after Mr Green said the group could not come in and pushed Robbins, who ended up on the floor beneath Mr Green before lashing out with the rum bottle.

Mr Green, 26, was left with a deep cut on his left temple and serious wounds to the back, neck and arm, causing lasting damage.

Mitigating, Chester Beyts said: “It was an incident which was wholly out of character. It wasn’t like he went and obtained a weapon. It was an incident where he had something in his hand and during self-defence matters went spontaneously too far.”

Following a week-long trial last month, Robbins was convicted by a majority verdict of wounding Mr Green with intent, but was cleared of causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Williams.

As part of his sentence, Robbins, who had been working as a suspended ceiling fitter at the time of the incident, was ordered to pay £2,500 compensation to Mr Green.

The court heard Robbins, who has suffered mental health problems, including depression and has attempted suicide twice, had been deeply affected by what he had done.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Brooke said: “You told the officer that you were absolutely devastated by your behaviour on the night of the offence and expressed that you were deeply sorry for the offence and apologised for what you had done.”

Robbins was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 18 months of supervision. He will also have to undertake an aggression replacement programme and will be subject to a three-month weekend curfew between 8pm and 6am.