A man was smashed in the face with a vodka bottle leaving him with life-changing injuries - because he refused to give his attacker a cigarette.

Daniel Murphy, 33, launched the "unprovoked" and "vicious" attack in Cropston Drive, Coalville, on the evening of Monday March 25.

He in was convicted by a Leicester Crown Court jury of inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent.

The motiveless violence happened as the victim, a 31-year-old engineer and part-time guitar teacher, was making his way home after buying goods at the local Co-op store, shortly after 8pm.

Caroline Bradley, prosecuting, said Murphy, who was known to the victim by his nickname, Scouse, because of his connection with Liverpool, began pestering him for a cigarette and followed him across the road.

When the complainant refused, Murphy smashed him over the head with a vodka bottle and continued to attack him with the jagged remainder.

The man's hand was badly cut when he put his arm up to protect himself, which caused a severed tendon.

He also suffered several facial cuts that have left him permanently scarred.

The court heard he received numerous stitches and the hand injury had ended his long held "passion" of playing the guitar.

It also hampered his engineering job, causing him to suffer from depression and he was off work for several months.

WHAT THE JUDGE SAID

Recorder Dominic Nolan QC told Murphy: "You've been convicted by the jury on the clearest evidence.

"It was a horrific attack that left life-long consequences with scarring to his left eye and a deformity to one of his fingers - and he can no longer play the guitar which had been his passion since he was 12-years-old.

"It was a vicious and a sustained attack with a bottle, which you broke over his head.

"Your record includes an offence of wounding with intent when you bit off (part of) someone's ear."

Recorder Nolan said Murphy's criminal record - which included wounding a woman's hand with a knife in 2008 and causing actual bodily harm to someone in 2017 - was an aggravating feature and he considered him a "dangerous" offender.

VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT

The complainant, in his personal impact statement said: "Since the attack I've suffered in many ways."

He described how his family had been distressed by his injuries.

His mental health was affected and could no longer play the guitar or teach children to play the instrument, which he used to do for free.

The victim still suffers from pain on the back of his head, eye area and hand.

MITIGATION AND SENTENCE

In mitigation, it was said that Murphy's life had gone "horribly astray" but he still had hopes for a better future.

He was jailed for 12 years.

POLICE STATEMENT

Afterwards, the investigating officer, Detective Constable Xanthe Fisher said:  “The victim was a part-time guitar teacher and as a result of the assault he has not been able to play the guitar again. 

"During the incident his finger was sliced and he had 27 stitches to his hand. 

“This was a vicious and violent assault which has scarred the victim for life.  

"There was no motive for the attack which appeared to be totally unprovoked.

“We are pleased with the verdict today and hope the time Murphy now spends in prison will give him the opportunity to reflect on his actions and the consequences.”