Dinner party horror as host threw glass at friend

A DINNER guest was left scarred for life after his friend threw a glass at his face during an argument.

Business development officer Sindiso Joya, 30, said he was reminded of the actions of Monde Konini every time he looked in the mirror.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Joya said: ‘Only someone filled with hate, anger and resentment will do this to someone else, never mind their friend. This is by far the biggest form of betrayal I’ve ever experienced.’

But Konini, 50, from Broxburn, West Lothian, avoided a prison sentence yesterday.

He was originally charged with assaulting Mr Joya to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement during the incident on August 12 last year.

However, his guilty plea to a lesser charge of culpable and reckless conduct and a plea of not guilty to assaulting his wife Nonzaliseko by striking her on the head were accepted by the Crown.

Erin Illand, prosecuting, said the dinner party at Konini’s home had ended with an argument between the two former friends around 1.40am. She told Livingston Sheriff Court the two men had spent the evening drinking alcohol and socialising, but an argument developed.

It escalated and resulted in the accused throwing a glass at Mr Joya, striking him to the right side of his face and causing ‘an extensive cut to his right ear and two further cuts behind his ear’.

She said Mr Joya was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment and thereafter to see a plastic surgeon.

Mr Joya said: ‘I’m reminded of that day every day when I look into the mirror.’

Konini was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work and to pay his victim £300 compensation.