A 20-YEAR-OLD has been fined for punching another man on a night out in Aberystwyth in an escalating row over a woman which saw their friendship “deteriorate”.

Christopher Reacord, of 27 Pen Morfa, Tywyn, pleaded guilty at Aberystwyth Magistrates Court on Wednesday to assaulting Oliver Hughes outside the Why Not nightclub in the early hours of 8 November last year.

The court heard that the former friends had fallen out after Mr Hughes started dating Reacord’s ex-partner and mother of his three-year-old son.

Outside the Why Not night club, the court heard, Reacord pushed and punched Mr Hughes, leaving his face “covered with blood”.

Mr Hughes was later taken to hospital.

In a social media exchange the following day, the court heard that Reacord told his former friend that he had “got what was coming to him”, and that he was “lucky I stopped when I did.”

Iestyn Davies defending said there was an “element of immaturity and alcohol” involved in the incident, and that Reacord expressed “regret and remorse” over the incident.”

Reacord, who lives with his parents, separated with his former partner towards the end of last summer, Mr Davies said.

“The complainant and defendant used to be friends, but their relationship deteriorated after he starting seeing his ex partner,” Mr Davies added.

Mr Davies also told the court that Reacord and his ex-partner were now back together.

Initial police enquiries into the incident led to police issuing a conditional caution to Reacord, with the condition that he paid Mr Hughes £396 for the dental work needed after the assault left him with two loose front teeth.

Reacord did not pay the money, so the case was brought to court.

Mr Davies told the court that Reacord had “significant debts and bank charges” and all the money from his new job was going in the bank to pay it.

He also hid the incident from his parents, the court was told.

Magistrates fined Reacord £150, and ordered him to pay compensation of £511 to Mr Hughes to cover dental work and the time he had to take off work to get it done.

Reacord was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £20.