A MAN swung a rounders bat in a 'threatening manner' in a pub garden in South Craven and punched another man in the face, heard Skipton Magistrates Court.

Damon Spikings, 36, a roofer, was part of a group of men involved in an altercation with another group of men at the Black Bull in High Street, Sutton-in-Craven on March 11 last year, the court heard today (Friday).

Spikings was caught on a CCTV camera swinging the bat and punching another, unnamed, man in the beer garden.

A man in the other group had a hammer and although arrested was not charged, the court was told.

Spikings left the pub following the incident and was located about 10 minutes later with facial injuries.

Prosecuting, Nadine Clough, said Spikings had swung the bat in a 'threatening' way and one witness to the incident had said they had feared for their safety.

Spikings, of Laithe Road, Barrowford, admitted the possession of an offensive weapon in a public place when he appeared at court on Friday.

In mitigation, Stuart Carter said that Spikings had reacted after he and his family had been threatened. He had gone to the pub with some friends where the incident with the other group had taken place, and the incident had spilled out into the pub garden.

When police had turned up at his house the next day, Spikings’ face was ‘twice the size it ought to be’ and he was taken to hospital, said Mr Carter. Spikings told police at the time he had suffered a fall said Mr Carter, who added it was not clear why the man with the hammer had not also been charged.

He had since moved away from the area to Lancashire.

Spikings was currently unable to work after suffering an accident in August last year while doing his job as a roofer.

He had been in a coma for eight days following a fall and had been at ‘death’s door’ said Mr Carter.

Magistrates adjourned sentencing for reports. Spikings is due to be sentenced at Harrogate Magistrates Court on February 10.