THE landlord of the Plough and Harrow in Littleport was hit over the back of the head with a beer glass after he tried to evict 21-year-old football coach Mark Hammond from the premises. Hammond was asked to leave and was affronted by that, solicitor Ja

THE landlord of the Plough and Harrow in Littleport was hit over the back of the head with a beer glass after he tried to evict 21-year-old football coach Mark Hammond from the premises.

"Hammond was asked to leave and was affronted by that," solicitor Jacqui Baldwin explained to Ely magistrates on Thursday.

"It was quite out of character, he punched out at the landlord, hitting him on the back of the head with a glass."

Landlord David Bottomley suffered three lacerations on his head that did not require any medical treatment.

Hammond, of York Road, Chatteris, admitted wilfully and maliciously wounding Mr Bottomley on July 11, causing grievous bodily harm.

Hammond, currently suspended from his work as a football coach with an under 18's team, produced a number of references to the court.

The FA will have to decide whether he is a suitable person to work with young people in the future, added Miss Baldwin.

"He says that in two minutes of his life, he messed so much up," she said.

Before the incident, Hammond had been at the pub to have a drink with his girlfriend's father. There was an altercation involving someone else, and Hammond was asked to leave.

Ordering Hammond to pay �200 compensation to the landlord, carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and pay �60 costs, presiding magistrate Dr Christine Shaw told him: "We feel to some degree that the severity of the charge is technical, because a weapon, a beer glass, was used. For a grievous bodily harm charge, this is at the lower end of seriousness. This was out of character, and we take into account that the injuries to the landlord were not serious.