A WORCESTER man admitted headbutting his neighbour during a “sustained” attack at a Worcester convenience store.

David Sharpe, 38, pleaded guilty to assault by beating when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates’ Court on Friday, July 1.

Leslie Ashton, prosecuting, said Andrew Hollyoak had known Sharpe for 13 years, and they were neighbours who lived across the road from each other in Dinmore Close, Broomhall.

She described how, on June 15 at 8pm, Mr Hollyoak was at the One Stop shop in St Peters, Worcester, when Sharpe appeared.

She said he kept blocking Mr Hollyoak’s path and acted in an intimidating manner.

Miss Ashton then described how Sharpe pushed Mr Hollyoak, then headbutted him, which left Mr Sharpe’s face swollen.

Miss Ashton read Mr Hollyoak’s police statement that said: “I told him to leave, but he kept coming after me.

“At this point I defended myself and punched him twice to the face. He wouldn’t leave me alone.”

Mr Hollyoak then went into the shop, and Sharpe followed him in. Mr Hollyoak tried to get past Sharpe, but he then grabbed the victim and said he was making “a citizen’s arrest”.

Outside the store Mr Hollyoak’s wife pulled up in her car and filmed what was going on, which brought an end to the attack.

Miss Ashton said it had been a sustained attack in a public place.

Vijaya Badhen, defending, said Sharpe had shown remorse for the incident, and said he accepted what he did was wrong.

Miss Badhen said Sharpe approached Mr Hollyoak to talk about a previous incident in which Sharpe claimed he had been attacked, and she said the pair had a history.

Miss Badhen said he accepted he should have walked away, but became angry as there was a level of provocation.

She said Sharpe is moving to Turkey in September as his partner is pregnant, and he would be applying to become a Turkish national.

For this reason, Miss Badhen said Sharpe wanted no more contact with Mr Hollyoak and so did not oppose any restraining order.

Magistrates gave Sharpe a suspended sentence, and placed him on an eight-week curfew, which does not allow him to leave his property between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

He was ordered to pay £135 costs, a £115 victim surcharge and compensation of £150 – a total of £400.

Sharpe was also handed a restraining order, banning him from contacting Andrew and Kate Hollyoak, while he was also banned from walking on the odd numbered side of Dilmore Close.