A Haverfordwest man who pushed a woman and swore at a taxi-driver claimed drinking cola affected him more than the considerable amount of alcohol he had consumed that day.

Kevin Stuart Davies of Walters Avenue, Merlins Bridge, pleaded guilty to assault when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Wednesday, September 19,

The court heard that Davies and a woman he had known for 35 years drank a considerable amount of alcohol at her Haverfordwest home throughout the day on August 9, before the pair visited various pubs that evening.

They got a taxi to a local garage at around 11pm to buy more alcohol to take home.

Davies, 40, became abusive to the taxi-driver and shouted at the shop’s cashier, before assaulting his companion.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said: “For some reason he pushed her in the chest with an open palm, causing her to fall backwards onto her bottom.

“She had grazes to both elbows and soreness to her bottom where she landed on the ground.”

In a victim impact statement the complainant said the incident had left her feeling ‘scared and low’.

Mike Kelleher, defending, said Davies had been helping the woman decorate her home.

“Unfortunately, Mr Davies has little recollection of what happened, or why, but accepts that the lady ended up sitting on the floor and that he pushed her.”

Mr Kelleher added that Davies was affected by drinking a certain brand of cola more than alcohol, possibly due to the sugar content, and had phoned to check on the woman after the incident.

“It would seem that cola has affected him more than he thought.

“He apologises. This is not the behaviour that he wants to indulge in.”

Magistrates imposed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered Davies to pay £100 compensation for the injuries.

He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £20 surcharge.