A man who "wished to be sectioned" split a man's lip in half and caused a "gruesome" injury which required over 40 stitches.
Darren Treanor hit the man from behind in an unprovoked attack on July 12, 2019, and left him with a nasty injury that required surgery.
The 43-year-old had been behaving "peculiar" before the incident and said he "wanted to be sectioned" so he could "get a bed".
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Treanor appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced for wounding, which he had pleaded guilty to at a previous hearing.
Liam O'Brien, prosecuting, said Treanor visited a man he knew at around 8pm and he was invited into his home, with everything seeming "normal".
Treanor was drinking cider when the pair began discussing a neighbour. They both then went to the neighbour's home and were invited in.
The court heard that when inside the house, Treanor's behaviour became "peculiar" as he "paced around the room".
He began making "unusual comments" before saying he "wanted to be sectioned".
Mr O'Brien said Treanor told the men that the only way for him to "get a bed" was to either hurt himself, or someone.
It was then that Treanor became aggressive, saying he could "headbutt" one of the men.
The court heard that when one of the men turned his back, Treanor hit him once to the face from behind.
Mr O'Brien said it was unclear whether Treanor had anything in his hand at the time.
Nevertheless, the strike caused a "gruesome" injury to the man, and his lip was "split in two".
The victim was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where he required 42 stitches in his mouth.
The court heard that days after the incident, Treanor went to the home of a friend of the victim and suggested he would pay £400 for what he'd done.
He also made a reference to a "weapon".
Soon after the incident, Treanor was sectioned under the Mental Health Act for five months.
Shaun Routledge, defending, said Treanor had not been in any trouble since the incident and was "lightly convicted".
He said Treanor did not plan the attack and was "not feeling very well" at the time.
He added that for many years, Treanor had been "back and forth" in hospital for treatment for his mental health.
Sentencing Treanor, of Audouins Row, Gateshead, Recorder Amy Mannion handed him a four month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
He must complete 15 rehabilitation activity days and pay £50 compensation.
