A YOUNG woman suffered serious facial injuries when she was glassed in the face on a night out in Bolton, a court has heard.

Rhea Olawumi had to undergo two hours of surgery following the attack in the J2 nightclub in Bolton town centre.

Aaron Fearon claimed he was acting in self-defence and told the court Ms Olawumi had thrown her drink over him.

Bolton Crown Court heard the incident happened on November 21, 2010, just after 1am.

Prosecutor David Clarke told the jury that Ms Olawumi had no recollection of the incident. She is still undergoing treatment after having an operation to the injury on her left cheek.

A total of 18 fragments of glass were removed from the 27-year-old’s face during surgery.

Giving evidence, Fearon, who was not drinking on the night, said he asked Miss Olawumi to calm down because she kept banging into him while she was dancing as he waited at the bar.

He said: “I went over and asked her to chill out. She banged into me again. I went over and called her dumb.

“She didn’t look and spun around and then it has come from there.

“She didn't hit my face with the wine glass, it came close to my face. I stepped back. I have scars on my face and I didn't want any more.

“I am 6ft 2ins and 15st. If I was using full force it would have been a lot worse than that.

“I did not intentionally mean to harm this girl.”

Bouncers approached the defendant shortly after and called the police.

The court heard Fearon has previous convictions for using a glass as a weapon.

In 2007 he spat at a man in a pub and threw a full pint glass at him.

In January, 2006, he picked up an empty glass bottle and threw it at a table in the same pub, knocking it over.

Fearon, aged 26, of Langham Court, Stretford, denies wounding with intent and unlawful wounding.

The case continues.