'That's why I rang, otherwise I would have murdered him'

A man smashed a vodka bottle before slashing an acquaintance in the face with it. Stephen Lyne-Robinson, aged 55, met the man outside a takeaway in Bolton on January 5 this year when the pair went back to the victim's flat. Lyne-Robinson, of no fixed address, had previously met his victim "a few times".

He was brought before Bolton Crown Court to be sentenced for the attack. Prosecuting, Anna Bond said: "On January 5, the victim left his house between 11 and 11.30pm to go to a takeaway.



When he arrived the defendant was hanging around outside. "The defendant and victim spoke for a while before eventually both walked back to the victim's flat, they arrived at midnight." The pair drank, with Lyne-Robinson drinking vodka.

It became clear to the victim that the defendant was becoming "increasingly drunk and boisterous". Ms Bond added: "At 1.30am, the defendant was on the sofa and the victim was on the bed.

The defendant became aggressive, asking the victim 'where's my f***ing speaker'. "He put his face close to the victim's face." The victim said he "didn't have a clue" before walking over to the kitchen, with Lyne-Robinson following him.

Ms Bond said: "The defendant took a vodka bottle, smashed it on the hob and swiped at the victim, causing cuts to both cheeks and to his lip. "The victim was able to make an escape from the flat, closed the door behind him and ran to a nearby pub where he phoned police. "Whilst this took place, the defendant phoned the police and made a counter-allegation.

" He was then arrested at the junction of Spa Road and Moor Lane. As Lyne-Robinson was being put in a police car, he said: "That is why I rang, otherwise I would have murdered him." At police interview, he alleged that the victim became aggressive first, leading him to "pre-emptively strike".

Read more: 'You should really carry around a red flag to warn any future partners ' - judge Read more: 'Speeding, obstructing police, court orders': Five cases heard by magistrates Read more: Victim of controlling and coercive man bravely speaks out after partner faces justice Lyne-Robinson had a previous 64 convictions for 168 offences, including affray and carrying an offensive weapon. He pleaded guilty to the charge of unlawful wounding on an earlier occasion. The victim said in a statement how he has "zero sensation" in his top lip and that when he looks in the mirror it "brings back bad memories".

He also said how he feels embarrassed when people ask what happened to his face. Defending, Patrick Buckley highlighted how Lyne-Robinson had no substantive convictions since 2015, which was for failing to comply with a court order. His only other offence since then was for begging in 2022.

He added: "In the intervening 10 years, he has been employed as a painter-decorator. More substantially, he has been working at Manchester Airport for a company that parks vehicles whilst people are on holiday. "He had been at the airport for a number of years.

" Mr Buckley added that Lyne-Robinson recognises that the trigger is alcohol. Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh , said: "On the night in question, there was a background of heavy drinking and you went to the flat with your acquaintance. "An argument broke out, a bottle was smashed and you struck the complainant in this case, causing injuries to his face.

"The injury could have been much more severe, but fortuitously it was not." Judge Walsh sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment..