A LAMPETER man hit his girlfriend following a drunken argument, a court heard.

Barry Nicholas Hester, of Llwynmarog, Abermeurig, admitted assaulting Suzette Hase on 3 February after the two started arguing when Hester was drunk. He also pleaded guilty to criminal damage after smashing a plate during the row.

Prosecutor Steve Davies said police were called in the late evening by someone who had seen the incident and when they arrived Ms Hase told officers that Hester, 24, had been drinking and had then assaulted her.

She said Hester had become abusive and had been shouting at her, but that she had tried to be nice to calm him down.

However, Hester then pushed her into a stove and continued to insult her before Ms Hase grabbed him and told him she wasn’t scared of him and told him to pick up crockery that he had smashed after throwing it on the floor.

Hester though punched her in the face causing Ms Hase to suffer a red and swollen eye and a scratch to her cheek from a ring Hester wears.

While Ms Hase told police that she didn’t want to see Hester prosecuted, Mr Davies said there was evidence from other witnesses and that Hester had admitted hitting Ms Hase during a police interview.

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