A man who assaulted a member of staff in the pier amusement arcade after being told he didn't have enough tokens for a teddy bear has appeared in crown court.

Christian Gervais, of Woodstock, Main Road, Easter Compton, Gloucestershire, assaulted a member of staff in the Royal Pier amusement arcade after being told he did not have enough tokens to redeem a teddy bear before stealing the soft toy.

Swansea Crown Court heard that 36-year-old Gervais visited the arcade on 2 June and when told he didn't have enough tokens for the prize he wanted by a member of staff, he called them a 'jobsworth' before pushing him into a set of shelves, grabbing the toy and walking out.

The court was told that Gervais then made off when he heard sirens and was subsequently arrested on a nearby street.

In interview the defendant denied assaulting anyone, maintaining he had enough tokens for the soft toy.

Gervais previously pleaded guilty to assault by beating and appeared at crown court for sentencing.

In an impact statement, the victim said the assault at work had worsened his anxiety and left him struggling to sleep. He added that he was worried about what would happen if he encountered the defendant in the street.

Gervais had originally been charged with robbery but the prosecution had accepted a not guilty plea.

Judge Paul Thomas KC said he was satisfied from a pre-sentence report that the Gervais had learnt his lesson and said he suspected that being arrested, charged, and appearing in the dock amounted to more of a punishment than the court could impose, adding: "You lost your temper. You lost your dignity. Most significantly, you lost your good character over a teddy bear worth £7".

Gervais was handed a 12-month conditional discharge for the assault and fined £200 for the theft.