A MAN who attacked the landlord of an Abingdon pub that left him with a fractured hip has avoided jail.

Stuart Morris, from Radley, admitted carrying out an assault causing grievous bodily harm in the men’s toilets at the Cross Keys on January 25, 2013.

The 33-year-old pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial to attacking David Arnott when the pub landlord intervened in an argument he was having in the gents.

Iain Wicks, prosecuting, said the incident happened at around 11.30pm in the Ock Street venue when Mr Arnott, from Stonhouse Crescent, tried to deal with two men having a “vigorous disagreement” in the men's toilets.

The barrister said he was then set upon by Morris, who repeatedly punched him and threw him to the ground.

Mr Wicks said this caused his victim to collide with the urinals and other furniture in the toilet.

Mr Arnott, who suffered a fractured hip spent a week in hospital and had to take three months off work. Mr Wicks added that this had a such an effect on the finances of the business that it failed.

Daniel Wright, defending, said his client “accepts he has a problem with anger management and with drinking” but was trying to tackle both issues.

He added that Morris was a carer for his father who has stomach cancer.

Judge Ian Pringle said the attack had been so violent it had sent Mr Arnott “banging around the toilet area like a pinball”.

But he said despite Morris having previous convictions for common assault and ABH he was prepared to give him one last chance. He sentenced him to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, with 18 months supervision and an alcohol-related aggression course requirement.