A LIVID man attacked his girlfriend’s work colleague with a metal bar in Saltney because they had exchanged a kiss at an office Christmas party, a court heard.

Ryan Reece left Nathan Linley with a 2cm gash to his head after ambushing him near to his partner’s workplace at Credit Union.

He was seething with envy after Catrin Owen had told him about the kiss.

Judge Steven Everett told Reece he was fortunate the injury was not as “serious” as others seen by the court, otherwise he would have gone to prison.

Reece waited for Mr Linley to leave work at the Saltney firm and confronted him down a side road and struck him to the ground with the three-foot long bar, Chester Crown Court heard.

Reece told his victim: “You can call the police if you want, but I am going to jail for a very long time.”

Mr Linley’s wound needed to be glued.

Suspending his six-month prison sentence for two years, Judge Everett said: “Fortunately for you, and more fortunately for your victim, the injury wasn’t the most serious this court has seen.

“But this was a matter of jealousy, the red mist descended and you completely lost your self-control. You decided to arm yourself with a bar and hit him (Mr Linley) on the head.”

Prosecutor Karl Scholz said Reece had pleaded guilty initially to an assault occasioning actual bodily harm, but denied possessing the bar.

Reece claimed he had only used his fists during the attack but changed his plea and admitted possessing the weapon before trial.

The trouble stemmed from Reece’s jealousy which was aroused when his girlfriend started to give Mr Linley lifts home after they both worked late.

After the Christmas party on December 16 Mr Linley received Facebook messages from Reece’s girlfriend telling him she was sorry and she had told her partner they had kissed.

Two days later he finished work and was walking down an alleyway off St Mark’s Road when he spotted Reece coming out of a parked Vauxhall Astra towards him.

“He (Mr Linley) knew something was going to happen as the defendant’s eyes were fixed on him,” said Mr Scholz.

“He brought the metal bar from behind his back and asked “What are you kissing my girlfriend for?” as he swung the bar over his head and onto the crown of his victim knocking him to the ground.

“He asked what he was doing with his girlfriend and he said that in effect he was going to kill him.”

Mr Linley’s was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital.

He said in a victim impact statement read out to the court that the attack had left him fearing for his safety and he needed to take anti-depressants for anxiety. He had changed his route to work and was unable to socialise with friends for fear of being attacked.

He was also haunted by the memory of his 88-year-old grandmother weeping after seeing his blooded head afterwards.

Reece agreed to attend Blacon Police Station for interview and it was while he was on route that his car was pulled over and searched, but the bar was not found by police.

Reece, 24, now of Upper Gate Street, Conwy, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon on December 18.

Barrister Owen Edwards, defending, said Reece had been admitted to hospital after the incident himself suffering from mental health issues.

“He has been going through the mill and there is no doubt at all that this incident was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he said.

“He was very lucky that the injury was not worse. But both he and his girlfriend have behaved as sensibly as they could in the circumstances - they have relocated to Conway. This is a young man who is unlikely to be before the court again.”

The judge ordered Reece complete 150 hours of unpaid work and undergo 20 days of rehabilitation activities.

He also told him to pay £750 compensation to his victim and warned him any breaches would see him sent to prison.

“Your lifestyle before this incident was positive and since it you have taken a mature decision to move from the area where it took place and change your job,” said the judge.

“But your behaviour on the night was nothing short of disgraceful, although I accept you were under some pressure as your mother was ill in hospital.”