The 30-year-old was in Parade Gardens when his 50-year-old victim, who had been drinking, accidentally bumped into him, the Royal Court heard.
The defendant, who earlier in the day had drunk ‘some light beers’, mistook this as a sign of aggression and pushed the man in the back of the neck, causing him to hit his face on the ground.
The man suffered serious injuries to his face, jaw and tongue.
The defendant admitted grave and criminal assault and a separate charge of stealing £22.95 worth of cider from Tesco Alliance and one count of possession of two diazepam tablets.
