VIOLENCE came to a residential street when an “outsider” became involved in a confrontation with a local resident, a court heard.

Anthony David Coyle turned up at the home of a woman with whom he communicated on social media, despite her telling him not to.

Durham Crown Court heard that Coyle, who the woman believed was under the influence of drugs, became involved in a row with her neighbour, outside her home.

Although he got the better of the heavily inebriated man, he, “went too far”.

Having knocked him to the ground, Coyle carried on punching him, as well as stamping on his head, and the woman feared for the victim.

Ian West, prosecuting, said the attack only ended when the injured man’s girlfriend came out into the street, Ash Grove in Shildon, County Durham, with other neighbours.

Coyle went back into the house and picked up a pair of scissors, which he snapped in half.

Although the householder urged him to put them down, Coyle ran outside, followed by her, and she managed to take them off him.

When police and an ambulance arrived, Coyle was still in the street threatening to take on anyone who wanted to challenge him.

The bloodied victim was taken to hospital for treatment to a large swelling to the head, a clinical nasal fracture, plus multiple cuts and abrasions round the body, and a bite mark to his fingers.

While recovering from his injuries, he missed time from his business, losing some regular customers to rival operators as a result.

On his arrest, Coyle told police the other man had been confrontational and threw a punch which missed, so he reciprocated and a fight began.

He agreed that he picked up a pair of scissors, which he said he would have used had the need arisen.

The court was told Coyle began corresponding with the woman while serving a previous sentence in Holme House Prison, Stockton, and, on his release, was in regular communication via social media.

Twenty-nine-year-old Coyle, of Kildare Street, Middlesbrough, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, arising from the incident on Friday, July 29.

The court heard he has 39 convictions for 63 offences, including six for previous assaults.

Andrew Turton, mitigating, said Coyle travelled some distance to visit the woman and disputes her belief that he was under the influence of drugs, as he had just come from work.

“His actions were not pre-planned. He didn’t go there for a fight, but he was seen almost as some sort of ‘stranger in a foreign land’, and perceived some aggression towards him as, ‘the outsider’.

“He felt the fight was started by the other man, but he accepts he clearly went too far in response.”

Jailing him for 32 months, Judge Christopher Prince told Coyle he has, “a terrible record for violence.”

“However the incident started, this was a sustained and repeated attack, even when the other man went to the ground, when you could have just walked away.”

A restraining order was imposed, forbidding Coyle approaching the victim, “until further order”.