A booze-fuelled thug who headbutted a friend in a row over a debt has been ordered to pay him £500.

Wayne Dodson, 18, was sentenced to six months in a young offenders institution suspended for 18 months when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court today.

Dodson, a window fitter, of Watermill Road, Polegate, was ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work in the community.

The teenager admitted assaulting Joel Leaney causing him actual bodily harm.

The court heard the attack happened in Polegate in July last year when Dodson, who was drunk, launched an assault on Mr Leaney, who had been his friend for nine years.

Timothy Spencer, prosecuting, said the victim's brother was alleged to owe Dodson £400.

Mr Spencer said Dodson claimed he had no memory of headbutting Mr Leaney but did recall pushing him away with his head.

He said the two men scuffled in the front garden of a house in Watermill Road in the early hours of the morning while friends tried to split them up.

When police arrived Dodson struggled with officers and screamed threats. Mr Leaney needed dental treatment which cost more than £1,000.

Daniel Frier, defending, said: "He accepts he was angry and drunk."

Judge Guy Anthony told him: "Clearly you are somebody who is prone to violence when you are drunk. You used your head as a weapon."