A popular brand of lager has come under fire from a judge.

Stella Artois was attacked as linked to binge drinking and alcohol-fuelled violence at a sentencing hearing at Brighton Crown Court.

Recorder John Hardy said: "For people who sit where I do there are key words in the papers of this case which reoccur all too frequently in cases involving young men and alcohol.

"They are Stella and binge drinking."

He was sentencing Hastings plasterer Tony Freeman, who attacked his ex-girlfriend's new partner after drinking the lager.

The drink is advertised as "reassuringly expensive" and is stronger than many other lagers at 5.2 per cent alcohol by volume.

It is sold at most High Street pub and club chains.

Freeman, of Athelstan Road, admitted assault, affray and harassment.

He was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work, attend up to 12 alcohol counselling sessions and will be under supervision for a year.

Publican Dave Edwards says he banned the drink to drive troublemakers out of the Rose and Crown pub in Montague Street, Worthing.

He said: "Stella is commonly known as 'wife-beater'.

"With Stella, we got a minimum amount of drinking and a maximum amount of aggravation.

"It didn't appear to be a social drink and seemed to have an adverse affect on people.

"We noticed everyone who was drinking Stella was a pain, so we took it out, and it worked."

A statement from Stella Artois said: "No individual brand of alcohol is responsible for binge drinking or violent behaviour.

"People have to take responsibility for their own actions and stop blaming external factors."