A Saundersfoot man beat up a 79 year old pensioner during a dispute over car parking, a judge heard on Friday.

Jeremy Mannings, aged 53, threw neighbour Jim Crockford to the ground, kicked him and punched him four times to the head.

Mannings, of The Ridgeway, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and was made the subject of a 18 month community order.

Ieuan Rees, prosecuting, told Swansea crown court there had been a dispute between neighbours for six months about parking in Gower Lane behind Mannings’ house.

On November 30 last year Mr Crockford began to drive off at 7.30am and saw Mannings filming him.

He wound down the window “and words were exchanged” before he got out of his car.

“There was a scuffle,” said Mr Rees, but Mannings quickly got the upper hand and beat Mr Crockford as he lay on the ground.

Mr Crockford suffered cuts and grazes and needed hospital treatment.

Mr Rees said at first Mannings claimed to have acted in self defence. But part of the attack had been caught on camera and he no longer maintained that stance.

John Allchurch, representing Mannings, said, “There is background here.”

Judge Geraint Walters said the mind “boggled” over what Mannings thought he was doing filming his neighbour.

“It is a shocking story, and all to do with parking in the lane.

“I’m told that Mannings has taken to wearing a body camera and has had CCTV cameras installed. When neighbours fall out, then goodness gracious. It is going to stop.

“Mr Mannings would be better off giving his body camera to the police, they might be able to use it.”

Judge Walters told Mannings, who described himself as a qualified teacher who was now a student, that if he sent him to jail it would be for only a few weeks.

He said Mannings had become obsessive and it would be better if he received help to work through his difficulties.

In addition to the community order, Judge Walters ordered him to complete 15 days of a rehabilitation activity and 100 hours of unpaid work.

He also made a restraining order banning Mannings from contacting particular neighbours for the next two years.

Judge Walters also ordered Mannings to pay Mr Crockford “a token” £500 in compensation and a £90 court surcharge.

Mannings said he did not receive any income whatsoever and lived off what his parents and his wife gave him, but would pay the £590 within 28 days.