A court has heard how a seven-year-old child rang the police for assistance after witnessing a woman being assaulted.

Benjamin Beasley, 34, was brought into the dock at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Monday, 6 February, where he pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman, causing her actual bodily harm.

Crown Prosecutor Kelly Rivers told magistrates that the offence took place last Saturday, February 4 as Beasley and his victim were playing cards at her home in Pembroke Dock.

“They were sharing some alcohol and an argument broke out,” said Ms Rivers.

“The defendant became angry, his eyes narrowed and he began taking deep breaths, which is what generally happens when he becomes aggressive.”

Beasley punched the victim to the side of her face and then started punching her repeatedly to the side of her body causing her to fall back onto the bottom step of the staircase.

He then put his arm around her neck and pushed into it, however Ms Rivers confirmed that this didn’t affect the victim's breathing.

Beasley then walked into the kitchen and smashed the cooker, causing glass to splinter all over the kitchen floor.

“What’s concerning about this incident is that there were seven children in the house at the time of the offence, the youngest who was ten months old,” added Ms Rivers.

“And it was a seven-year-old child who called the police.”

When Beasley was arrested, police officers discovered that he was in possession of a metal knuckleduster which, according to his solicitor Mike Kelleher, he carries for protection.

“Things happen when he binge drinks but he’s not a regular drinker and seems to have a problem with excessive drinking,” said Mr Kelleher.

Beardsley pleaded guilty to assaulting the victim, of possessing an offensive weapon and of causing criminal damage to the cooker door.

Magistrates adjourned sentencing until March 1 enabling an all-options probation report to be prepared.

They rejected Kelly Rivers’ request for the defendant to be remanded in custody and allowed him to be released on conditional bail, the conditions being that he resides at an address in Plas Peregrine, Steynton; that he does not contact the victim by any means; that he does not enter Pembroke Dock apart from attending appointments with his solicitor; that he obeys a tag-monitored curfew and that he co-operates fully with the probation service.