A PUB customer who broke a landlord’s nose when he hit him in the face has been jailed.

Laurence Smith, 21, lashed out at licensee Paul Stanley after he tried to evict him from the George and Dragon, in Shutford, west of Banbury.

Oxford Crown Court heard how Mr Stanley had been hosting a pub quiz on the evening of Sunday, August 3 last year when he asked Smith to leave because of his behaviour.

The landlord escorted Smith to the door, where he swung a single punch at him.

Mr Stanley suffered a broken nose and required surgery under general anaesthetic.

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The court heard Smith had a history of violent behaviour, including a 12-month conditional discharge for a public order offence in June 2014.

Sentencing Smith on Friday, Recorder Nicholas Goodwin said there were a number of other aggravating features to the incident, such as the fact alcohol was involved, it happened in a public place and the impact on the victim.

He said: “In my view, clearly in this case the custody threshold is passed. I’m not going to suspend it because of the aggravating features.”

Smith, of Alchester Court, Towcester, who admitted assault at an earlier hearing, was sentenced to six months prison.