Mark Lawson, 44, (pictured) was spared jail today after stabbing a colleague with a steak knife in a bizarre argument about onion rings . A pub diner who stabbed a work colleague in the leg with a steak knife in a row over his onion rings was spared jail today. Builder Mark Lawson, 44, was in The Diamond Tap public house in Newbury, Berkshire for his Christmas party when he agreed that his co-worker Simon Myers could take some chips from his plate. However, when Mr Myers started eating an onion ring, Lawson was angered, shouted at his victim and drove the knife into his thigh. Simon Blackford, for the prosecution, told Reading Crown Court that Lawson had been drinking with his colleagues at the festive party when he ordered a burger, chips and onion rings. He said: 'The defendant ordered a burger and chips and onion rings and some of his colleagues, including Mr Myers, took an onion ring and that gave rise to a somewhat explosive reaction. 'The defendant said "don't you come between me and my onion rings" and there was clearly some talk about that.' However, one of two colleagues, including Mr Myers then joked about taking more of his onion rings. At that point, Lawson 'reacted in a very loud way' to what was happening and stabbed Mr Myers with the steak knife he was clutching. The knife tore into Mr Myers's leg, causing a bloody wound nearly two inches deep, in front of the pub full of horrified onlookers on December 19 last year. Speaking for the defence, John Simmons said that Lawson had been battling a drinking problem and even visited Alcohol Anonymous for a short while to steer clear of the booze. Mr Simmons said Lawson, who lives in Thatcham in Berkshire, had been clean for six months and his decision to drink was a 'one-off' that he deeply regretted. 'This is an incident that started out as a joke but didn't end up that way', he added. 'Before this Christmas party he was almost minded not to attend and now of course regrets the fact he did. 'He hasn't drunk from that day to this.' Lawson 'reacted in a very loud way' when colleagues, including Mr Myers, stole his onion rings from his plate . Lawson took offence to his work colleagues attempting to steal his onion rings . The court heard Lawson was an exemplary employee who worked six days a week at a construction site at Newbury Racecourse. 'He comes across as an extremely affable, very likeable man,' said Mr Simmons. 'He is clearly a very hard working man and cannot believe how much trouble he has got himself into. He realises he is someone who just cannot drink.' Appealing for a suspended jail sentence, Mr Simmons told the court Lawson had apologised to Mr Myers and the two had been very mature about the unsavoury episode. Recorder Patrick Hamlin accused Lawson of putting his steady job and working life in jeopardy by drinking too much and carrying out the 'bizarre' attack. 'You were in trouble with the police and the courts quite a lot when you were younger but for the last 20 years you have stayed well clear of trouble,' he said. 'You have kept a steady job, you are working long hours usually six days a week. You put that all in jeopardy when at a Christmas function last year you drank too much. 'You lost your temper with a fellow employee over a bizarre issue - the stealing or a joke about stealing the onion rings from your plate. You were incensed by that conduct and you stabbed your fellow employee in the leg.' At a Christmas party last year at the Diamond Tap Wetherspoons in Newbury, Berkshire (pictured), Lawson stabbed his colleague Mr Myers with a steak knife following a row over his onion rings . However Recorder Hamlin spared him jail and sentenced him to a six-month prison sentence suspended for a year as well as a 12-month curfew. 'I am not regarding this as a case, that happens unhappily so often, when someone goes out armed and for a fight,' he added. 'This is a case where you had a knife in your hand simply to eat your meal. It is an unusual case. You acted out of character.' He also ordered Lawson to pay £250 in compensation to Mr Myers and £350 towards prosecution costs. Lawson had admitted one count of unlawful wounding, but denied wounding with intent. Recorder Patrick Hamlin told Reading Crown Court (pictured) that Lawson put his job in jeopardy when he 'drank too much' at a Christmas function in December last year .
Simon Myers had asked Mark Lawson if he could have some of his chips . Lawson agreed, but reacted angrily when Mr Myers took onion ring instead . Incident, that started as a joke, took place at the work Christmas party . Lawson was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for a year .