A MAN from Clevedon drunkenly punched a neighbour, after rowing with him about a communal parking space.

Darren Jefferies became angry after Gordon Amesbury parked his land rover in the space behind his property on Banks Close on December 12, and kicked the vehicle as he drove away.

Magistrates at North Somerset Courthouse in St Georges found Jefferies guilty of assaulting Mr Amesbury, using threatening behaviour towards him, and causing criminal damage to the land rover on May 11.

Jefferies, now of Teignmouth Road, became angry when Westfield resident Mr Amesbury parked his vehicle in the communal space, which the 34-year-old said he had been saving for relatives who were due to visit him that evening.

Having drunk half a bottle of wine and a can of lager, Jefferies confronted Mr Amesbury, who had used the car park for seven years, before punching him once in the face, causing three teeth to be dislodged.

Mr Amesbury then got back into the land rover, locked the doors and called the police, before driving out of the car park with Jefferies following him for a short time.

Having rejected Jefferies’ claims that he acted in self-defence, the magistrates charged him �500 for compensation, �400 for Crown Prosecution Service costs and a �15 victim surcharge, as well as a community order for 120 hours of unpaid work.