A construction worker is behind bars after losing control and attacking his boss in a row over drinking at work.

Carl DeRosa said defendant Marlon Ivan Outerbridge assaulted him with a masonry float after Mr. DeRosa accused the defendant of boozing on site.

Trouble flared when Mr. DeRosa, owner of DeRosa Construction, arrived at a building site in Random Lane, Warwick, one morning last summer.

Senior Crown counsel Paula Tyndale said the complainant saw Paget resident Outerbridge drinking beer, which he did not agree with during working hours.

When the boss approached the defendant about the complaint, Outerbridge started yelling inches from his face and asking for his pay cheque. Ms Tyndale said Outerbridge was told that if he was not willing to listen then he would have to leave the building site.

Mr. DeRosa said the defendant, who was holding a plastic masonry float at the time, then lashed out and hit him on the forehead.

Outerbridge, 35, walked to his car and the complainant pursued him carrying a hammer, before the defendant turned around and threw two rocks at him.

One hit Mr. DeRosa on the thigh but resulted in no injury, although when he touched his head he found it was bleeding. Stitches were later applied to a 4cm forehead graze

When interviewed by Police, the defendant admitted he lost control.

Outerbridge, representing himself, said Mr. DeRosa never saw him holding a beer.

He said he had worked for the firm for three years and was upset at being fired. He also denied hitting his boss with a float and said he used his hand.

Outerbridge, who admitted the assault charge relating to the incident on July 13 last year, added: "I'm a family man. I'm sorry for what happened.

"He should not have come at me that way. He put his hands on me twice and was pushing me back. He was much bigger than me."

But Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner told the defendant: "In my view you are not remorseful, despite what you attempted to say."

He said the attack led to a "serious" wounding and jailed the St. Michael's Road resident for 30 days.