A SEMI-PROFESSIONAL darts player from Cardigan knocked a man unconscious after seeing him out with his former girlfriend, a court heard.

Justin Anthony Smith, 19, thumped Iwan Sion Phillips at least twice, knocking him down and causing Mr Phillips to bang his head on the ground.

Mr Phillips suffered bleeding to the brain and had to be transferred to the Heath hospital in Cardiff for specialised treatment.

Smith, of Glascoed, High Street, St Dogmaels, was told by Judge Paul Thomas he was lucky not to be facing a far more serious charge than assault causing grievous bodily harm, which he admitted.

The courts, added the judge, were only too aware of the dreadful consequences that can follow someone hitting their head on a pavement.

Ian Ibrahim, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court how Smith had split up with Imogen Davies. Later, he became aware that she was going out with Mr Phillips.

Both men played rugby for Cardigan, where Mr Phillips was captain of the youth team. Mr Ibrahim said there was evidence of Smith sending Mr Phillips messages, one of which contained a threat to “put him in accident and emergency”.

At 3am on 1 May, Smith saw Miss Davies and Mr Phillips together in the centre of the town and assaulted Mr Phillips.

After his arrest, Smith claimed at first that he thought he was going to be attacked and acted in self defence.

His barrister, Janet Gedrych, said that was no longer suggested.

The truth was, she said, that he had “talked big” in a number of text messages out of jealousy.

The coming together, added Miss Gedrych, had not been planned despite the threats made.

Judge Paul Thomas said Cardigan was “not exactly cosmopolitan Mexico City” and Smith would have known that sooner or later he would have bumped into Mr Phillips.

“You need to grow up,” he told Smith. “Women are not possessions. After you and Miss Davies had split up it was none of your business what she did.”

Of all people, he added, rugby players should appreciate the potential consequences of head injuries.

The court heard that Mr Phillips had been forced to cancel a trip to New Zealand because of his injuries.

Smith was jailed for 12 months, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work for the community. He was also ordered to complete 10 sessions of a rehabilitation programme and to pay Mr Phillips £1,000 in compensation.

Judge Thomas warned Smith that the sum was a fraction of what Mr Phillips could be awarded after civil proceedings.