A THUGGISH Irvine dad went out to celebrate his newborn’s birth and carried out a savage pub attack that resulted in him missing the majority of the child’s first year.

Lee Bannerman, 27, lost the plot in the Crown Inn, on Irvine High Street, after rowing with another customer, who was then 18, over the jukebox.

And he went on to carry out such a savage attack he left his victim scarred for life and needing 30 stitches.

Bannerman smashed him in the face with a pint glass with such force it left glass embedded in his skin, requiring an operation to remove the fragments from his flesh.

Bannerman went to the popular pub with his partner and two friends in November last year, shortly after the birth of their third child to celebrate the tot’s arrival.

But what should have been a joyful affair turned sour as Bannerman got in to an argument with the victim, who was in the pub with a friend.

The details emerged this week when Bannerman appeared in the dock at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court over the events of November 17, 2019, pleading guilty to a charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Procurator Fiscal Depute Ruairidh Ferguson explained: “An argument developed between the accused’s group and the complainer and his cousin.

“This came to a head when the complainer put money in the jukebox and put a song on to play.

“The accused wasn’t happy with the song choice and told the complainer to put the song off - the complainer refused to do so.

“The accused picked up a glass and threw it - the glass struck his face and smashed.

“The victim and his cousin were clearly in shock in relation to what had happened, and simply wanted to get away, so they moved to the beer garden area.

“As the victim was running towards the area, the accused picked up a chair and threw it at him, and the chair struck him on his back.

“The accused continued to follow them to the beer garden area, where he picked up an ash tray, and threw it towards him.

“The victim and his cousin successfully made it over the fence in the beer garden, and made their way to another pub nearby.”

Staff at the Crown Inn contacted the police and, when officers arrived, they found smashed glass and blood on the floor. The victim, who suffers from a disease which stops his blood from clotting, was rushed to Crosshouse Hospital in an ambulance.

Medics noted he had numerous cuts to his forehead and nose, and he was sent for a CT scan.

The CT scan revealed there were fragments of glass stuck in his wounds, so he was placed under general anaesthetic and the glass was removed, with 30 sutures being used to seal the wounds.

He was kept in overnight and discharged the next day, but had to return to hospital the following week as one of his wounds kept bleeding.

Bannerman made no reply to police officers when cautioned and charged with the attack, and was remanded in custody at his first appearance back in November.

Defence solicitor Peter Murray explained: “He stays with his partner and they have three children, aged seven, two and five months.

“He has, and continues to, accept full responsibility for his actions on this particular night.

“His conduct was reprehensible. He was out with his partner and two friends. “This was effectively to celebrate the birth of their youngest child - it was their first night out for a number of months.”

As he called for background reports ahead of sentencing, to deal with the prospect of post-release supervision, Sheriff Alistair Watson said: “I’m considering a very significant custodial sentence.”

Due to how long Bannerman has been behind bars over the attack, and how long he will be caged for, he will have missed the majority of the child’s first year.

He could be caged for as long as five years when sentenced later this month.