A FORMER Bolton Wanderers football coach smashed a glass bottle over the head of a reveller — after his sister texted him to say she had been assaulted by two men in a town centre bar.

Joseph Vipond — who no longer worked for Whites at the time of the incident — carried out the attack in Deansgate last month.

The 19-year-old had gone to help his sister in the early hours of September 6 — and the attack was caught on CCTV.

Bolton Crown Court heard that the assault at 3.18am was "extremely out of character" for the teenager.

Vipond, of Lowick Avenue, Great Lever, pleaded guilty to affray and possession of an offensive weapon in public at an earlier hearing.

No complaint was made by the two men, who had been followed by security cameras before the incident.

David Lees, prosecuting, said: "He is seen on CCTV taking a glass bottle and smashing it on the head of the second male."

Gillian Kennaugh, defending, said: "These individuals assaulted his sister and he went to her aid. This was done on the spur of the moment. It was extremely out of character."

The court heard that in the run up to the attack, Vipond had been a victim of aggravated burglary where a knife was put to his throat.

His partner had also suffered a miscarriage and he had lost his job as a plumber's apprentice.

Vipond received a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, 60 hours of unpaid work and an electronic curfew between the hours of 9pm and 5am.

Sentencing, Recorder Suzanne Goddard QC, said: "You are a man of previous good character. You took it upon yourself to pick up a glass bottle to attack them. You hit one of them on the head with it. You are very lucky that you are not standing here with a far worse offence."

Bolton Wanderers at first declined to comment, but later contacted The Bolton News to say Vipond had never been a coach with the club.

A club spokesman said Vipond was a former apprentice at Bolton Wanderers Community Trust.