A rugby player who smashed a glass in a soldier’s face in a pub has walked free from court.

William Hodgson, 21, attacked Charlie Hargreaves in the Old King’s Head pub, in Hampton Court Road, Hampton Wick, after the serviceman bumped into him.

A psychiatrist said the Twickenham Rugby Football Club player, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Tourette’s syndrome, was more likely to act violently after drinking because of his conditions.

Hodgson, of Tudor Road, Hampton, had specialist treatment for ADHD from the age of 14, but stopped when he turned 18 because the authorities in Richmond did not provide the service for young adults.

Mr Hargreaves, currently serving in Afghanistan, needed stitches to his facial injuries, which included cuts to his nose, chin and near his right eye.

Recorder Suzanne Chalmers told Hodgson: “As you well know, using an item such as a glass can cause serious injury, the victim in this case was very lucky.

“It can cause loss of eyesight as well as permanent scars to the face.”

She said prison would not be of any benefit to Hodgson, who pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm, and sentenced him to 52 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years.

She also ordered him to attend a drug rehabilitation programme for six months, alongside 12 anger management sessions.

On Thursday, September 13, Kingston Crown Court heard Hodgson had drunk 10 pints of beer at the rugby club and in the pub before he attacked Mr Hargreaves on September 10 last year.

Bill McGivern, prosecuting, said the victim had been with a group of friends.

He said: “As he went to the bar towards the end of the evening, about midnight, he seemed to accidentally knock into the arm of this defendant.

“He challenged Mr Hargreaves in an aggressive manner and became irate.

“Other members of the public tried to calm him down and Mr Hargreaves recalls being struck by a blow to his face and the glass smashed in his face.

“He staggered back and as he was doing so the defendant punched him on further occasions.”

Abdullah Al-Yunusi, defending, said: “The CCTV recording is quite clear in terms of what was going on, there’s a stand-off between two groups of people.

“It’s not as if Mr Hodgson immediately strikes out at the victim, there’s a verbal exchange between the two of them beforehand.”