A NEWPORT man whose friend set fire to his boxer shorts as a joke was so badly burned that he needed a skin graft, a court heard.

Carl Horsefield suffered deep burns and permanent scarring to his buttocks after housemate Andrew Bigham set fire to his underwear in a drunken prank, Newport crown court heard.

Bigham, aged 33, of Courtybella Gardens, Pill, was ordered to carry out community service after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm on September 12 last year.

Newport crown court heard how 22-year-old Mr Horsefield had been drinking heavily that day with his friend, Christopher Hall.

Prosecuting barrister Eugene Egan said the pair drank two bottles of vodka that day and were very drunk.

They were joined by another friend, Greg Bennett, and later, Bigham.

He began playing tricks on Mr Horsefield, who had passed out.

Mr Egan said: "Mr Hall told police that the defendant seemed to be taking the complainant's trousers off.

"Those present were laughing at what was happening.

"He then said the defendant used a lighter to set fire to the complainant's boxer shorts. Mr Hall said he thought it was done for a laugh and not deliberately to cause harm."

Mr Bennett went downstairs to get a glass of water, unaware that his friend was still on fire.

When he returned and saw the flames, he threw the water over Mr Horsefield, who was then stripped and placed in a bath of cold water.

He suffered deep burns to his buttocks - which required a skin graft at Swansea's Morriston Hospital - and was left with permanent scars.

Jeffrey Jones, defending, said: "When my client flicked the lighter he did not anticipate that there would be two to three per cent burns to his friend's buttocks.

"He is genuinely contrite about what happened."

Recorder David Aubrey, QC, said: "Anyone who uses fire and sets alight clothes of somebody else - even in a prank - embarks on a highly dangerous action in which the risk of serious injury to somebody else is evident."

He sentenced unemployed Bigham to 100 hours' community service and ordered him to pay £250 compensation to Mr Horsefield.