A teenager who fired an 'arrow' which hit his friend in the eye has been given an 18-month community punishment and rehabilitation order.

Craig White, 19, of Blenheim Drive, Bicester, pleaded guilty earlier this month to causing grievous bodily harm to 16-year-old Andrew Montague after shooting at him with a bow and arrow on April 12 last year.

He appeared at Oxford Crown Court on Monday to be sentenced.

The court heard that White had been messing around and smoking cannabis in his garden with friends.

Tony McGeorge, prosecuting, said things then got out of hand when White, who was sitting on a brick shed, started firing arrows -- which were rods from a child's cot -- across a car park at a friend some distance away who was hiding behind a shed.

Mr McGeorge said White used an old tyre inner tube as a bowstring.

His mother and a friend both asked White to stop.

The arrow hit Mr Montague in his eye after it was deflected off a shed and tree branch.

He was taken to hospital where he needed an operation to stitch his left lower eye lid and tear duct, which were both cut.

The court heard Mr Montague still had some blurred vision, but the risk of having a persistently watering eye had not developed.

John Simmons, defending, said the incident was an accident aggravated by the use of cannabis.

As part of the order, White must complete 80 hours of unpaid work for the community and attend the Think First programme for offenders.