A MAN who killed a drinking pal with a broken pint glass during a row over football trivia at a Thamesmead pub, has been jailed for life.

Garry Clark, aged 44, of Whinyates Road, Eltham, plunged the glass into Lee Smithie's throat after quarrelling about the location of one of Millwall FC's former grounds.

Clark was sentenced to life imprisonment after an Old Bailey jury found him guilty of murder.

The court heard how the pair were in the Moorings Club, Arnott Close, on June 29 last year, when the argument broke out.

Neither man was a fan of the Division One side but they placed a £50 bet on which side of the River Thames the stadium was, with another drinker adjudicating.

Factory worker Smithies, aged 36, who had a young daughter, correctly said the stadium was on the north side of the river on the Isle of Dogs.

But a row broke out over the result and, as minicab driver Clark attacked Smithies, the pint glass broke on impact with the victim's throat severing his jugular vein.

Clark continued to punch the fatally wounded Smithies on the floor but, upon realising his hands were covered in blood, fled the scene carrying his six-year-old daughter, who was with him at the club.

Police found Clark after following a trail of blood which stretched for three quarters of a mile.

Smithies was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, but died a week later from brain damage due to the huge loss of blood and lack of oxygen.

Clark denied murder and claimed the glass smashed accidentally when Smithies attacked him.

But the jury rejected his account, convicting him of murder by a majority verdict.

Passing sentence Common Serjeant of London Judge Peter Beaumont told Clark: "You took the life of another in circumstances of great violence.

"The jury have found that amounted to murder. For that, the law permits one sentence of life imprisonment."

Clark's life sentence started on January 17.

January 28, 2003 11:00