AN ongoing neighbourhood dispute culminated with a man throwing punches at his neighbour and putting his hands around his throat, while their partners were fighting on the floor.

Workington Magistrates’ Court heard there had been a previous incident involving the children of Antony Joyce, 50, and the victim, who are neighbours at Lingla Bank in Frizington.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said an altercation had then taken place between their partners on the afternoon of September 27, and the two females were on the floor fighting.

Joyce had then thrown a number of punches at the victim and at one point, had his hands around the man’s throat.

The incident had finished by the time police arrived but the victim was present and covered in blood.

Joyce was arrested and interviewed. He admitted throwing punches at the victim and said it was in self defence.

He said his partner had gone round to apologise for shouting. She had asked the victim’s children to go and play outside their own house.

Joyce said there had been a scuffle on the floor between the two females. He said the victim had then grabbed hold of his partner’s hair.

The defendant told police he had said: ‘Don’t call my girlfriend peg leg’.

Joyce said he had a lawful reason to punch the victim as he felt he was going to attack him. He said the victim was attacking his partner while she was on the floor.

Ms Fee told the court that the incident was 'quite unpleasant' and there had been previous issues between the two parties.

She said the violence had also taken place in front of children.

A victim impact statement read to the court said the man was now wary about taking his children out.

Sean Harkin, defending, said: “The incident is relatively short in duration. There are not many blows being exchanged before they fall to the ground and are separated.

“He sees his partner on the floor, sees her being attacked. He reacts. Unfortunately, he doesn’t react in the right way.

“He does apologise for his actions. It was a one-off incident. There is an ongoing neighbourhood dispute. There is bad feeling between both parties.

Mr Harkin said if a restraining order was imposed, it could be “used as a weapon.”

Joyce, of Lingla Bank, Frizington, had pleaded guilty to assault by beating, at a hearing on February 7.

Passing sentence on Tuesday, magistrates imposed a community order with an eight-week curfew, to run daily from 7pm to 7am.

Joyce was ordered to pay £200 in compensation to his victim, as well as £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

Magistrates decided not to impose a restraining order as they felt it would be 'inflammatory'.