A NIGHTCLUBBER has been cleared of a bottle attack on man who hit him with a belt.

A jury accepted that Lee Alan Potter, 21, of Eighton Terrace, Sunderland, had acted in self defence.

Mr Potter admitted he had hit his assailant with a bottle, but said he was trying to protect himself from being attacked.

He was found not guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that on July 19, Mr Potter hit 18-year-old Christopher Hayes with a bottle in a brawl outside a Sunderland nightclub, severely injuring his face.

The brawl had been sparked by a fight in Club 81 nightclub, in Hendon, earlier that night.

Mr Hayes had been drinking with friends when he met Mr Potter and a man called Craig Boyle.

He started a fight with Mr Boyle, then left the nightclub.

Ros Scott-Bell, prosecuting, said Mr Hayes later saw Mr Boyle and Mr Potter waiting outside the nightclub.

Miss Scott-Bell said: "Mr Boyle was holding a bottle, and because Mr Hayes was scared it would be used on him, he unlooped the belt from his trousers."

She said Mr Potter then threw a punch and Mr Hayes retaliated by hitting him across the face with the belt.

The two men fell to the ground, and in the resulting struggle Mr Potter hit Mr Hayes with the bottle.

Anthony Davis, defending, said Mr Potter had been holding a bottle of beer by the neck, which smashed when he hit Mr Hayes, cutting his face.