A DRUNK man punched a dad so hard he hit his head on the kerb after the attacker tried it on with the victim's wife at a Hereford pub, a court heard.

Christopher Bamford punched Marshall Evans in the face outside the Vaga Tavern in Hereford after showing his buttocks to bar staff and giving money to children, telling them: "I'm not a paedophile."

The 34-year-old dad, of Cagebrook Avenue, Hereford, had already admitted wounding and two counts of criminal damage when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday following the 'disgraceful' episode on April 14 last year.

The court heard how Bamford had been drinking at the Vaga Tavern earlier in the day, returning at around 6.15pm, by which time he was drunk. The victim of the assault, Marshall Evans, was also at the pub with family, including children and his wife and adult daughter.

Lee Egan, prosecuting, said the defendant made inappropriate comments to the victim's wife that the judge later described as 'outrageous'.

Bamford also gave some money to two children inside the pub before telling them: "I'm not a paedophile."

Mr Egan said Bamford swore at the children and 'expressed dissatisfaction with the pub' and the clientele.

A member of staff responded that if he did not like the pub, 'why was he there?'

"He pulled down his trousers, exposing his buttocks," said Mr Egan.

The defendant was asked to leave and was walked out of the pub by a member of staff before he damaged two walls in Vaga Street by pulling blocks off the top.

Mr Evans approached the defendant, concerned his daughter's car might be damaged.

Mr Egan said: "Mr Evans went towards the defendant and the defendant dropped the block and punched Mr Evans to the face, knocking him to the ground where he hit his head on the kerb. He suffered a wound to his face."

Mr Evans also suffered a shoulder injury to his left arm and there remains some scarring to his face. He suffered from headaches and had to take a week off work, losing wages.

In a victim personal statement he said: "I'm very aware of the scar on my face. It makes me feel anxious and conscious of people looking at it."

His adult daughter said she was 'terrified' by what happened and that it was 'awful' for the children who witnessed it, some of them in tears.

Mark Thompson, defending, said: "He's rightfully disgusted with himself."

Bamford described his own behaviour to police as 'disgraceful' but Mr Thomson argued that it was also 'out of character' despite the defendant having a previous conviction for battery that happened in a pub eight years ago.

The advocate said that Bamford, who is married, had also set up his own building firm which employed two other people and had 'ring-fenced £1,000' in the event of compensation being ordered by the court.

Mr Thompson added: "Alcohol can make devils of us all. It should never have reached the point it did in April, inside and outside that public house."

Judge James Burbidge QC said over the last nine years he had presided over manslaughter cases where people had died from a single punch.

He said the attack was aggravated by the location of the offence and others being present, including the victim's family and children.

Giving Bamford a third discount in the length of the custodial term to reflect the early guilty plea, the judge sentenced him to six months in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He further ordered Bamford to pay compensation of £2,500 – £2,000 to Mr Evans for the loss of wages and the injury itself and £400 and £100 to the two householders whose walls were damaged.