A JUDGE yesterday warned a yob he faces being locked up indefinitely if he appears in court again for an offence of violence.

Carl James was jailed for 33 months for a nightclub attack which left his victim with a badly cut face and missing tooth.

James, 29, was on licence from an earlier prison sentence for glassing a man when he punched David Cooper last November.

Mr Cooper, 21, has been left with a scar which makes him conscious of his appearance and still needs dental treatment.

James was convicted of wounding after a trial last month, but was cleared of wounding with intent to case grievous bodily harm.

Judge Peter Bowers said the evidence did not make it clear what happened, but claims of a bottle being used were not supported.

"If you were convicted of Section 18 (the more serious offence) I would have given you an indefinite sentence," he told James.

"You would have been going to the Parole Board to get a release and if you got convicted again of an offence of this nature, you may well get an indefinite sentence.

The judge added: "Unfortunately, we have no control over the length of it - it can go on for may years, I can assure you.

"You have obviously got a very short fuse and I am surprised - on licence - you didn't control your temper."

Andrew Turton, mitigating, said James was eager to overcome the problems which have led to him getting into trouble.

"He has a growing insight into his behaviour and what he is capable of," Mr Turton said. "He is keen to change his ways.

"He is a man who has indicated remorse and shame for again appearing before the court - the shame it brings not only on him, but he is fully aware of the impact of his conduct on his family, particularly his children."

James, of Cinderwood, Middlesbrough, attacked Mr Cooper at the Aruba nightclub in the town on November 5 last year.

It emerged during last month's trial, that someone had bumped into James and Mr Turton said he reacted in the wrong way.