Blood had to be professionally cleaned from a Tenby hotel’s walls after a visiting couple’s ‘disagreement’.

Ryan Andrew Curtis Birch, of Gelli’r Felin, Energlyn, Caerphilly, pleaded guilty to assault and criminal damage when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates court on Wednesday, January 30.

Prosecuting, Vaughan Pritchard-Jones said police were called to a Tenby hotel after a disturbance was reported in the room where Birch, 27, and his girlfriend were staying on December 22.

Various items were found to have been damaged, and Birch’s girl-friend was found to have an injury on her head, but refused to make a formal complaint.

The court heard that she had thrown a phone at Birch, and it split her scalp when he retaliated by throwing it back.

The hotel estimated that £2,000 of damage had been caused to the room, including broken glass door panels and a bathroom door, a hole in a wall, and blood had to be professionally cleaned from walls, the carpet and furniture.

Mr Pritchard-Jones added there was no claim for compensation, as the hotel had taken the £2,000 from a credit-card belonging to Birch’s mother, which was used to book the room.

Mark Layton, defending, said Birch pleaded guilty on the basis that his actions had been reckless after he disagreed with his partner.

“He had no intention of causing any injury, but he was reckless.”

Mr Layton added that alcohol was involved in the incident, and Birch was previously of clean character.

“This is a one-off. The parties have put their disagreement behind them.”

Magistrates imposed 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered Birch to pay £170 in costs and a surcharge.