A VIOLENT thug who smashed a bottle in the face of a neighbour has been evicted from his home — while he is in prison.

Charles Higson has been ordered to leave his home in Monton Street, Great Lever.

The 58-year-old is serving a 13-month sentence for a vicious bottle attack on his neighbour, Stuart Ditchfield, who was assaulted while he helped Higson with some DIY.

Higson is not expected to be released from prison until July, and his home has been empty since he was sentenced for the attack.

Mr Ditchfield, who lives in near-by Sindsley Grove, was helping Higson fit a settop box for his television in December, 2009.

Mr Ditchfield, aged 59, said: “He had been drinking heavily and we sat for a few minutes, then he jumped up and and smashed me over the head with two vodka bottles and shoved the glass in my face.

“I pushed him out the way and went to a neighbour’s and they rang an ambulance and the police.

“He was like Jekyll and Hyde — he completely changed when he had a drink.”

Mr Ditchfield had to have stitches to his head, nose, cheek and ear. He has been left permanently scarred and no longer likes to go out.

Higson, who had also abused other neighbours, was jailed for the bottle attack and for breaching an injunction obtained by Bolton Council and Bolton at Home, which manages the property on behalf of the council.

Residents said he had problems with alcohol, and issues with his neighbours, who moved out before the eviction. One resident said: “They were always arguing on the doorstep and it was silly, they are supposed to adults. We all knew to leave him alone when he had been drinking, but some didn’t and that’s when it flared up.”

Last week, Bolton Council’s legal team presented evidence at Manchester County Court, where Higson agreed to relinquish his tenancy and the judge granted the authority possession of the property, without obligation to rehouse.

Sylvia Simpson, Bolton at Home’s anti-social behaviour manager, said: “We want tenants to live in a safe environment without fear of abuse or attack from others. We simply won’t tolerate anti-social behaviour and where this is concerned, we don’t hesitate to take the appropriate legal action against perpetrators, regardless of whether they are serving a prison sentence. We see eviction as a last resort and throughout this process we have tried to engage with Higson to offer him help and support. However, his actions meant we had no other option but to seek possession of the property.”