A LLANDEILO family has been left devastated by a six-month jail sentence handed out to a Llandovery man who left a much-loved brother, uncle and son fighting for his life.

David Roberts was the victim of a glass attack by Stephen Waters, of Towy Street, after the Wales v Australia rugby match on November 4.

Mr Roberts was left with 30 stitches to his left cheek, but friends at the scene feared the worst with the amount of blood he was losing.

Pals became so troubled that they even decided to abandon the wait for an ambulance and took the 28-year-old to hospital in a taxi.

Last week, Waters, who pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, was sentenced to 12-months in prison, six of which are on licence, at Swansea Crown Court.

The leniency of this sentence, which will see the 26-year-old back on the streets in just over five and a half months after spending two weeks on remand, has left the Roberts' family heartbroken.

David's sister Lisa told the Guardian that the attack, which happened in the Castle Hotel in Rhosmaen Street, had destroyed the lives of everybody in the family.

She said: "We were all hoping that he would have a long sentence, at least that would be some consolation for us.

"But we are gutted that he only faces five-and-a-half months behind bars, because what he has done has given David a life sentence."

The family's hopes that Waters, who has spent time in jail for previous offences, would get a five-year sentence were left in tatters when the defence handed the judge a photocopy of a national paper's story on prison over-crowding.

"He was only handed that sentence because there were too many people in jail," said Lisa.

"People who don't pay their taxes, for example, end up in jail for longer. I don't think they are going to harm anyone like he has."

Lisa, who runs the White Horse in Llandeilo with her partner Phil, said the incident had totally changed her brother's personality, leaving the family struggling to cope.

"I feel as though I have lost my brother because of this," she said.