Blood was spilled between neighbours during a New Year’s Day ‘kerfuffle’.

Simon John Mears, of Hill Street, Haverfordwest, had denied assaulting Jamie Bennett by beating him, but was convicted following a trial held at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Wednesday, April 18.

The court heard that Mr Bennett, who lives in a flat above Mears, was woken by banging noises at 9am on January 1, and heard his neighbour shouting and swearing at him from the landing below.

Mr Bennett told the bench that Mears flew up the stairs and punched him in the face after inviting him to join him at the local tennis courts for a fight.

He said: “He lost it and started throwing punches. I had a cut on my forehead, a black eye and my nose was streaming with blood. I was hit four or five times.

“I tried to defend myself. We both grabbed each other in a head-lock.”

He added: “The punches were coming at me like a volley. I was covering up defensively.”

Mr Bennett asked if ‘enough blood had been spilled’ as the pair looked down at blood dripping from his nose onto the carpet, and Mears returned to his flat.

Mears, 38, claimed that he hit Mr Bennett in self-defence after being pushed in the chest while walking up the stairs.

He told the court he was angry because he thought Mr Bennett had been making noise, and went to confront him.

“I said ‘let’s go to the tennis courts’ basically to sort it out.”

Sian Vaughan, prosecuting, said: “Mr Bennett is, throughout all this, being the pacifier, he tries to calm Mr Mears down.

“Mr Mears for no reason, apart from being angry, launched himself at him.

“He had been swearing, shouting, threatening and asking for a fight.”

Jonathan Webb, defending, told the court that a ‘kerfuffle’ had taken place, but the injuries sustained were ‘fairly minor in nature’ with no lasting damage.

Magistrates found Mears guilty and fined him £120. He was and ordered to pay £250 court costs and a £30 surcharge.