A 37-year-old man has pleaded guilty to striking a teenager in the head with a bottle at a Christening party for the victim's godson.

Kent DeShield, of Paget, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, namely a glass bottle, and causing grievous bodily harm to 17-year-old Shea Wade on April 26.

According to Crown counsel Takiyah Burgess, the incident happened at a Christening party and that, at around 8.10 p.m., Mr. Wade was turning off the music when DeShield approached him and accused the teenager of stealing $50 from him earlier in the year.

Mr. Wade dismissed DeShield, who then threatened him with a beer bottle.

When the victim turned away, DeShield swung the bottle at his head, rupturing the victim's eardrum in the process.

Duty defence counsel Mark Daniels told the court that DeShield apologised for the attack and went to hospital with the victim.

"He did not have intention to cause this kind of harm," said Mr. Daniels. "At the time, his judgment was impaired by alcohol."

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner replied: "If you take a bottle and smack it into someone's head, what do you expect will happen?"

Mr. Warner released Deshield on $5,000 bail with a surety to return on January 8 for sentencing once a social inquiry report is complete.