A 35 YEAR old man attacked a former love rival in a pub - and then later rang the man's girlfriend's mother and told her he had deserved it, a jury heard.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Adrian Robinson had been "eyeballing" alleged victim Mark Brandon who in the past had had a relationship with the defendant's then girlfriend.

He then struck him several times with a bottle as Mr Brandon was out with family and friends in a Blackburn pub.

Robinson, of Hyndburn Street, Accrington, denies assault causing actual bodily harm, last May.

Michael Goldwater, prosecuting, said the complainant had been in the pub in Blackburn town centre and was being "eyeballed" by the defendant.

There was bad blood between them because in the past, Mr Brandon had had a relationship with Robinson's then partner, but as far as Mr Brandon was concerned it was "history." His girlfriend advised him to ignore the defendant.

All of a sudden, Robinson became violent, grabbed Mr Brandon by the shirt and hit him two or three times with a bottle.

The defendant struck the complainant over the head, across the right eye and possibly on the head once again. His girlfriend intervened and the defendant was thrown out of the pub, the court was told.

Mr Goldwater said later Robinson made a telephone call to Mr Brandon's girlfriend's mother in the early hours. He said he had "done Mark good," and that Mr Brandon deserved it.

Robinson was later arrested and interviewed by the police on 29 June. He agreed he had been in the pub but denied using any violence and said he had not been thrown out of the pub.

Mr Brandon suffered a two centimetre cut to the left side of his forehead and some grazing below his right eye.