A ‘JEKYLL and Hyde’ drinker who threw a glass that narrowly missed a barmaid has avoided prison.

Paul Boss was drinking in The Exchange in High Street, Banbury, on May 4 when he threw an empty pint glass at the bar worker after briefly chatting to her, Oxford Crown Court heard on Thursday.

It missed her but shattered after it hit a wall just inches from her head, and some of the shards cut her scalp.

The court was told that Boss, 46, had 10 previous convictions for 15 offences.

At the time of the incident the chicken factory worker was just one month short of completing the two-year suspension period on a six-month sentence he had been handed in 2015 for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The father-of-two told the court: “I’m a selfish bloke when it comes to drinking.

“ I have a drink and cannot control it.

“Then the next day, I think ‘why did I do that?’

“I’m not a bad bloke, I’m just a stupid bloke.

“I’m good with my kids, I’m a good worker...I’m Jekyll and Hyde.”

He said he has not drunk any alcohol since the incident.

Boss, of Calthorpe Street, Banbury, was handed a three-month prison term, suspended for 20 months.

He was also fined £120 for breaching the first suspended sentence and will need to obey a curfew from 8.30pm until 4am daily for the next three months.

He will also need to undertake a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement, which will seek to teach him not to cause trouble when drinking.

The barmaid hurt in the incident will receive £250 from Boss.

All fines must be paid in the next 12 months.

Boss admitted a charge of common assault and breach of a suspended sentence and appeared at the city’s crown court on Thursday to be sentenced for both charges.