Judge Richard Bray spoke out at Northampton Crown Court yesterday following the acquittal of a 24-year-old woman accused of smashing a glass into the face of another woman at the Corner Flag pub in Rushden on February 17 last year.

During the trial, the jury heard mother-of-one Malika Miriam Maghraoui got involved in a fight at the pub and her half-pint glass ended up being smashed on Joanne Smith's face, causing a 15cm cut which narrowly missed Miss Smith's eye.

The jury accepted Miss Maghraoui's statement that the injury was caused through a mixture of accident and self-defence, but while summing up the case, Judge Richard Bray said: "I can't leave this case without remarking on the serious injuries that were inflicted here which could have been avoided if polycarbonate glasses had been provided."

He said the financial costs to the NHS for treatment of injuries caused by glassings were an additional problem to the misery caused to the victims.

In the past three years there have been 136 incidents involving attacks with glasses in Northampton town centre alone.

Judge Bray added: "I'm pleased to hear polycarbonate glasses were introduced into the pub following this incident and they should now be introduced widely in public houses and nightclubs.

"Pubs and clubs should not wait for further incidents to occur – they should put the safety of their customers before profits."

Over the past year Northamptonshire Police has been working with district councils to introduce the glasses county-wide.

About 4,000 polycarbonate pint glasses have been distributed throughout East Northamptonshire, with all 86 pubs in the district receiving one box of 24 pint glasses.

All members of the Pubwatch scheme, including The Corner Flag, received 100 polycarbonate glasses.

Tom Morrissey, East Northamptonshire Council's enforcement officer, said: "These glasses are virtually unbreakable and are one way of reducing the damage caused by violence and the dangerous mess that broken glass leaves on our streets."

Kettering Council issued 1,000 polycarbonate glasses in 2007.

A police spokesman said: "New licences are being issued with the condition that no glass should be served after 11pm and polycarbonates are being promoted as a safe alternative."