A MAN assaulted an innocent victim after mistakenly accusing him of stealing his jacket, a court heard.

Darren Burn, 30, broke the man's jaw in a drunken attack as they made their way back to Seaham, County Durham, by bus after a night drinking in pubs and clubs in Sunderland.

Durham Crown Court heard that the bus stopped for petrol in Stockton Road, Seaham, where Burn accused the other man of taking his jacket, before punching him, knocking him to the ground.

A witness claimed Burn also landed a blow with his foot, but the court heard he denied kicking the other man.

The pair were separated, but Burn was still trying to lunge at the other man to remove the jacket when police arrived to arrest him.

Burn continued to claim the victim had stolen the jacket, but midway through his police interview his girlfriend rang to say his coat, of similar design, had been found behind the bar at one of the pubs they had visited earlier.

Burn, of Watling Avenue, Seaham, admitted unlawful wounding.

Nick Cartmell, mitigating, said Burn has little memory of the incident, due to the amount he had drunk on the night out, but accepted he must have caused the injuries.

Judge Tim Hewitt said the attack was an example of the consequences of binge drinking. He imposed a 240-hour community punishment order, and also ordered Burn to pay his victim £3,000 compensation.